Sheet and light-emitting device

ABSTRACT

A transparent sheet for use with a light emitting body with one of surfaces of the transparent sheet being adjacent to the light emitting body, wherein the other surface of the sheet is divided into a plurality of minute regions δ, a largest inscribed circle of the minute regions δ having a diameter from 0.2 μm to 1.5 μm, each of the minute regions δ being adjoined by and surrounded by two or more other ones of the plurality of minute regions δ, the plurality of minute regions δ include a plurality of minute regions δ b  which are randomly selected from the plurality of minute regions δ so as to constitute 40% to 98% of the minute regions δ and a plurality of minute regions δ a  which constitute the remaining portion of the minute regions δ, the minute regions δ a  are provided with a first tiny element which has thickness d and effective refractive index n a , and the minute regions δ b  are provided with a second tiny element which has thickness d and effective refractive index n b , n b  being greater than n a .

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a transparent sheet for use with a light emitting body with one of the surfaces of the sheet being adjacent to the light emitting body, and a light emitting device which uses the same.

BACKGROUND ART

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional structure of a light emitting device employing a common organic electroluminescence element (organic EL element) and propagation of light. An electrode 102, a light emitting layer 103, and a transparent electrode 104 are stacked in this order on a substrate 101, and a transparent substrate 105 is provided on the transparent electrode 104. When a voltage is applied between the electrode 102 and the transparent electrode 104, light is radiated from a point S in the light emitting layer 103. The light enters the transparent electrode 104 directly or after being reflected by the electrode 102, and is then transmitted through the transparent electrode 104. The light transmitted through the transparent electrode 104 impinges on a surface of the transparent substrate 105 at point P at an incidence angle from the normal to the surface. At the point P, the light is refracted to be emitted into an air layer 106.

When the incidence angle θ exceeds the critical angle θ_(c)=sin^(−I) (1/n′₁) where n′₁ is the refractive index of the transparent substrate 105, total reflection occurs. For example, a light ray that is incident on the surface of the transparent substrate 105 at point Q at an angle greater than or equal to θ_(c) is totally reflected without being emitted into the air layer 106.

FIGS. 2( a) and 2(b) are diagrams for illustrating the light extraction efficiency of the light emitting device on the assumption that the transparent substrate 105 has a multilayer structure. In FIG. 2( a), the formula shown below holds according to Snell's law:

n′ _(k)×sin θ′_(k) =n′ _(k-1)×sin θ′_(k-1) = . . . =n′ ₁×sin θ′₁ =n ₀×sin θ₀  (Formula 1)

where n′_(k) is the refractive index of the light emitting layer 103; n₀ is the refractive index of the air layer 106; n′_(k-1), n′_(k-2), . . . , and n′₁ are the refractive indices of a plurality of intervening transparent layers between the light emitting layer 103 and the air layer 106 in order of distance from the light emitting layer 103, closest first; θ′_(k) is the propagation direction of a light ray radiated from the point S in the light emitting layer 3 (the angle from the normal to a refracting surface); and θ′_(k-1), θ′_(k-2), . . . , θ′₁, and θ₀ are the angles of refraction at the refracting surfaces in order of distance from the light emitting layer 103, closest first. Therefore, the formula shown below holds:

sin θ′_(k)=sin θ₀ ×n ₀ /n′ _(k)  (Formula 2)

Thus, Formula 2 is basically identical with Snell's law under the condition that the light emitting layer 103 is in direct contacts with the air layer 106. Formula 2 means that total reflection occurs when θ′_(k)≧θ_(c)=sin⁻¹(n₀/n′_(k)) irrespective of the refractive indices of the intervening transparent layers.

FIG. 2( b) schematically shows the range of light which can be extracted from the light emitting layer 103. The light which can be extracted is included in the extent of a pair of cones 107 and 107′ whose vertexes are at the light radiation point S. The vertex angle of each of the cones 107 and 107′ is twice the critical angle θ_(c). The center axes of the cones 107 and 107′ are on the z-axis that is normal to the refracting surface. Assuming that the light is radiated from the point S with equal intensities in all directions and that the transmittance of light which is incident on the refracting surface at an incidence angle equal to or smaller than the critical angle is 100%, the extraction efficiency from the light emitting layer 103 is equal to the ratio of part of the surface area of the sphere 108 corresponding to the circular bases of the cones 107 and 107′ to the entire surface area of the sphere 108, and is expressed by the formula shown below:

η=1−cos θ_(c)  (Formula 3)

Note that the actual extraction efficiency η is smaller than 1−cos θ_(c) because the transmittance for the incidence angles equal to or smaller than the critical angle does not reach 100%. The total efficiency of the light emitting element is equal to a value obtained by multiplying the above-described extraction efficiency η by the light emission efficiency of the light emitting layer.

Patent Document 1 discloses an organic EL element, in the context of the above-described mechanism, which is based on the concept that a diffraction grating is formed in a substrate interface, an internal surface, or a reflecting surface to change the incidence angle of light on a light extraction surface such that the light extraction efficiency is improved with the view of preventing total reflection of light propagating from the transparent substrate to the ambient air at the transparent substrate surface.

Patent Document 2 describes providing a plurality of protrusions over the surface of a transparent substrate of an organic EL element such that reflection of light at the interface between the transparent substrate and the air layer can be prevented, for the purpose of providing a planar light emitting device with excellent light extraction efficiency.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

-   Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.     11-283751 -   Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.     2005-276581

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

However, the above-described conventional light emitting devices have problems which will be described below.

In a conventional light emitting device which employs the organic EL element shown in FIG. 1, the maximum value of the light extraction efficiency η from the light emitting layer 103 does not exceed 1−cos θ_(c). If the refractive index of the light emitting layer 103 is determined, the maximum value of the light extraction efficiency is uniquely limited. For example, when n₀=1.0 and n′_(k)=1.457 in Formula 2, the critical angle θ_(c)=sin⁻¹(n₀/n′_(k))=43.34°, and the maximum value of the light extraction efficiency is as small as about 1−cos θ_(c)=0.273. When n′_(k)=1.70, the maximum value of the light extraction efficiency is even smaller, e.g., about 0.191.

The technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 enables extraction of light which would otherwise be totally reflected, although the opposite case may occur. Assuming that there is no diffraction grating layer, a light ray emitted from a point in the light emitting layer may impinge on the refracting surface (emission surface) of the transparent substrate at an incidence angle smaller than the critical angle and then be transmitted and refracted. When there is a diffraction grating layer which diffracts the light ray, the incidence angle on the refracting surface may exceed the critical angle such that the light ray can be totally reflected. This means that the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not necessarily ensure the improvement of the light extraction efficiency. In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, diffracted light rays whose directions are shifted by equal amounts are derived from each one of the light rays. Light including such diffracted light rays has a light intensity distribution which varies depending on the direction, and the predetermined amount of shift width depends on the wavelength of emitted light. Thus, color imbalance occurs depending on the direction.

In the light emitting device disclosed in Patent Document 1, ambient light (incoming from the air layer side) is regularly reflected by the surface of the transparent substrate, and this reflection causes a disturbance with the light extracted from the light emitting layer (resulting in, so-called, “ambient light reflection”). Therefore, the surface of the transparent substrate needs an optical treatment, such as an antireflection film or the like, which increases the manufacturing cost.

The light emitting device disclosed in Patent Document 2 is directed to antireflection at the refracting surface. The structure of Patent Document 2 only improves the light extraction efficiency by about 10% to 20%.

The present invention was conceived in view of the above circumstances. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a sheet and a light emitting device that enable light which is incident on the transparent substrate at an incidence angle equal to or greater than the critical angle to be emitted out such that the light extraction efficiency can be greatly improved, and which prevent ambient light reflection as well as variation in light intensity distribution and color imbalance which would occur depending on the direction.

Solution to Problem

To solve the above problems, a sheet of the present invention is a transparent sheet for use with a light emitting body with one of surfaces of the transparent sheet being adjacent to the light emitting body, wherein the other surface of the sheet is divided into a plurality of minute regions δ, a largest inscribed circle of the minute regions S having a diameter from 0.2 μm to 1.5 μm, each of the minute regions δ being adjoined by and surrounded by two or more other ones of the plurality of minute regions δ, the plurality of minute regions δ include a plurality of minute regions δ_(b) which are randomly selected from the plurality of minute regions δ so as to constitute 40% to 98% of the minute regions δ and a plurality of minute regions δ_(a) which constitute the remaining portion of the minute regions δ, the minute regions δ_(a) are provided with a first tiny element which has thickness d and effective refractive index n_(a), and the minute regions δ_(b) are provided with a second tiny element which has thickness d and effective refractive index n_(b), n_(b) being greater than n_(a).

With such a configuration, light emitted from the light emitting body and transmitted through the inside of the sheet to impinge on the other surface of the sheet is prevented from undergoing total reflection due to the surface structure of the minute regions which is provided over the other surface even when the light impinges on the other surface at an incidence angle which is greater than the critical angle relative to the normal to the other surface, so that part of the light is emitted outside, while light reflected by the other surface toward the light emitting body undergoes reflection inside the light emitting body and again impinges on the other surface of the sheet, at which total reflection would not occur, and part of the light is emitted outside.

A light emitting device of the present invention is a light emitting device, including a light emitting body and a transparent protection layer provided on a light emitting surface of the light emitting body, wherein the transparent protection layer has a surface which adjoins the light emitting surface and a surface which is opposite to the adjoining surface, the opposite surface including a plurality of minute regions δ, a largest inscribed circle of the minute regions δ having a diameter from 0.2 μm to 1.5 μm, each of the minute regions δ being adjoined by and surrounded by two or more other ones of the plurality of minute regions δ, the plurality of minute regions δ include a plurality of minute regions δ_(b) which are randomly selected from the plurality of minute regions δ so as to constitute 40% to 98% of the minute regions δ and a plurality of minute regions δ_(a) which constitute the remaining portion of the minute regions δ, the minute regions δ_(a) are provided with a first tiny element which has thickness d and effective refractive index n_(a), and the minute regions δ_(b) are provided with a second tiny element which has thickness d and effective refractive index n_(b), n_(b) being greater than n_(a).

Advantageous Effects of Invention

With the above solutions, extraction of light rays whose incidence angles are greater than the critical angle can be repeatedly realized, so that the light extraction efficiency can be greatly improved. Moreover, diffraction caused by the random structure leads to elimination of regularity in diffraction direction, so that ambient light reflection as well as variation in light intensity distribution and color imbalance which would otherwise occur depending on the direction can be prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional structure of an organic electroluminescence element and propagation of light.

FIG. 2( a) shows a transparent substrate which has a multilayer structure. FIG. 2( b) is a diagram illustrating the range of light which can be extracted.

FIG. 3( a) shows a step wise change of the refractive index. FIG. 3( b) shows a moderate change of the refractive index. FIG. 3( c) illustrates the relationship between the incidence angle at a refracting surface and the transmittance. FIG. 3( d) shows the refracting surface.

FIG. 4( a) shows a cross section of a light emitting device which includes a diffraction grating having a periodic structure at an interface. FIG. 4( b) is the top view of the structure of FIG. 4( a).

FIG. 5 illustrates the direction of diffraction caused by a diffraction grating.

FIG. 6( a) shows a cross section of a light emitting device which has protrusions randomly arranged on the surface. FIG. 6( b) is a top view of the structure of FIG. 6( a).

FIGS. 7( a) to 7(h) illustrate the boundary conditions of a field of light at a refracting surface.

FIG. 8( a) shows an arrangement of a pinhole. FIG. 8( b) shows an arrangement of phase shifters.

FIG. 9 illustrates the transmittance over the incidence angle at the refracting surface over which 180°-phase shifters are randomly arranged.

FIG. 10 is an experimental explanation diagram which illustrates the transmittance over the incidence angle at the refracting surface over which 180°-phase shifters are randomly arranged.

FIG. 11 shows the structure of an experimental apparatus for measuring the transmittance relative to the incidence angle.

FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional structure of an organic electroluminescence element of the first embodiment and propagation of light.

FIG. 13( a) is an enlarged view showing part of the surface structure of the first embodiment. FIG. 13( b) is a pattern diagram which covers a broader area.

FIGS. 14( a) to 14(d) illustrate the viewing angle dependence of light which is emitted from the surface structure of the first embodiment.

FIGS. 15( a) to 15(d) illustrate the viewing angle dependence of light which is emitted from the surface structure of the first embodiment.

FIG. 16 illustrates the incidence angle dependence of transmittance t of the surface structure of the first embodiment. FIG. 16( a) is a diagram showing the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance in the first light extraction. FIG. 16( b) is a diagram showing the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance in the second light extraction.

FIG. 17 is an experimental explanation diagram which illustrates the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance t of the surface structure of the first embodiment.

FIG. 18 illustrates the incidence angle dependence of the amount of extracted light via the surface structure of the first embodiment. FIG. 16( a) is a diagram showing the incidence angle dependence of the amount of extracted light in the first light extraction. FIG. 16( b) is a diagram showing the incidence angle dependence of the amount of extracted light in the second light extraction.

FIGS. 19( a) and 19(b) are diagrams which illustrate the light extraction efficiencies of the surface structure of the first embodiment.

FIG. 20 shows a cross section of a light emitting device which includes an adjustment layer.

FIG. 21 shows a cross section of a light emitting device which has another surface structure at the border with the adjustment layer.

FIG. 22( a) illustrates the light extraction efficiency of the surface structure of the second embodiment. FIG. 22(b) illustrates the light extraction efficiency of the surface structure of the third embodiment.

FIG. 23 illustrates the extraction efficiency according to the second embodiment.

FIGS. 24( a) to 24(e) illustrate how to determine the pattern of the surface structure according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 25( a) shows the first surface structure of the sixth embodiment. FIG. 25( b) shows the second surface structure.

FIG. 26( a) is a cross-sectional view in the eighth embodiment. FIG. 26( b) is a top view in the eighth embodiment.

FIG. 27( a) is a cross-sectional view showing a specific structure of the eighth embodiment. FIG. 27( b) is a plan view in a cross section taken along broken line A of FIG. 27( a).

FIG. 28 shows the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance t in the eighth embodiment.

FIG. 29 shows the relationship between the light extraction efficiency and dimension d in the case where an outer shell layer 109 is 0.1 μm in the eighth embodiment.

FIG. 30 shows the relationship between the light extraction efficiency and dimension d in the case where the diameter ratio is varying in the eighth embodiment.

FIG. 31( a) is a cross-sectional view showing another specific structure of the eighth embodiment. FIG. 31( b) is a plan view in a cross section taken along broken line A of FIG. 27( a).

FIG. 32( a) is a cross-sectional view showing another pattern in the eighth embodiment. FIG. 32( b) is a plan view showing another pattern in a cross section A in the eighth embodiment.

FIGS. 33( a) and 33(b) show a cross-sectional structure of an organic electroluminescence element of another embodiment and propagation of light.

FIG. 34 is a pattern diagram illustrating a checker-pattern surface structure.

FIG. 35 illustrates the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance t of the surface structure shown in FIG. 34.

FIGS. 36( a) and 36(b) illustrate the viewing angle dependence of light emitted from the checker-pattern surface structure.

FIGS. 37( a) to 37(c) illustrate how to randomly arrange protrusions.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Before the descriptions of embodiments of the present invention, the research history prior to the creation of the concept of the present invention is described with considerations for the prior art examples such as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates the transmittance at a refracting surface (the interface between a transparent layer surface and an air layer). Now, consider a light ray traveling from the inside of the transparent layer 107 with the refractive index of 1.5 along a sheet direction and impinging on a refracting surface 107 a of the transparent layer 107 at an incidence angle θ so that the light ray undergoes refraction toward the air layer (refractive index: 1.0). Here, the transmittance of this light ray relates to the polarization of the light. Usually, the refractive index distribution along the normal to the refracting surface 107 a in the vicinity of the refracting surface 107 a has a stepped shape as shown in FIG. 3( a). Therefore, the P-polarization (an oscillation component whose electric field vector is parallel to the sheet of the drawing) exhibits a transmittance characteristic represented by the curve 108 a, and the S-polarization (an oscillation component whose electric field vector is perpendicular to the sheet of the drawing) exhibits a transmittance characteristic represented by the curve 108 b. They exhibit different behaviors when the incidence angle is not more than the critical angle (=41.8°) but become zero as the incidence angle exceeds the critical angle.

On the other hand, assuming that the outermost part of the transparent layer 107 has a multilayer structure so that the refractive index distribution has a tapered shape as shown in FIG. 3( b), the P-polarization exhibits a transmittance characteristic represented by the curve 108A, and the S-polarization exhibits a transmittance characteristic represented by the curve 108B. Although both of them become zero as the critical angle is exceeded, the transmittance becomes closer to 100% when the incidence angle is equal to or smaller than the critical angle, so that the distribution approaches to the shape of a step function with the border occurring at the critical angle. In the example of FIG. 3( b), the calculation is based on the assumption that the structure has a multilayer structure of 50 stacked layers each having the thickness of 0.01 μm, with the refractive index varying from 1.5 to 1.0 with the intervals of 0.01. The difference between the P-polarization and the S-polarization decreases as the ramp of the change of the refractive index along the thickness direction is more moderate so that, as a result, as for the both polarizations, the graph of the transmittance relative to the incidence angle approaches to a step function.

To prevent total reflection, it is necessary to provide any means of controlling the incidence angle of light that is incident on the refracting surface so as to be equal to or smaller than the critical angle. We consulted Patent Document 1 for an example of such means and studied a light emitting device that uses an organic EL element shown in FIG. 4, in which a diffraction grating 209 is provided at the interface between a transparent substrate 205 and a transparent electrode 204.

As shown in FIG. 4( a), an electrode 202, a light emitting layer 203, a transparent electrode 204, and a diffraction grating layer 209 are staked on a substrate 201 in this order, and a transparent substrate 205 is provided on the diffraction grating layer 209. The diffraction grating layer 209 has a periodic structure of raised portions and recessed portions with the pitch of Λ in both x-direction and y-direction, at its border with the transparent substrate 205. The shape of the raised portion may be a right square with width w as shown in FIG. 4( b). The raised portions having such a shape are in a matrix-lattice arrangement. Application of a voltage between the electrode 202 and the transparent electrode 204 causes radiation of light from the point S in the light emitting layer 203. This light enters the transparent electrode 204 directly or after being reflected by the electrode 202 and is transmitted therethrough. The light is then transmitted through the diffraction grating layer 209 so that it undergoes diffraction. For example, assuming that a light ray 210 a emitted from the point S travels straight without being diffracted by the diffraction grating layer 209, the light ray would impinge on a refracting surface 205 a of the transparent substrate 205 at an incidence angle equal to or greater than the critical angle and be totally reflected by the refracting surface 205 a as represented as a light ray 210 b. However, in actuality, the light ray is diffracted by the diffraction grating layer 209 so that the incidence angle of the light ray on the refracting surface 205 a is smaller than the critical angle as represented as a light ray 210 c. Therefore, the light ray can be transmitted through the refracting surface 205 a.

The direction of diffraction of light by the above-described diffraction grating is described with reference to FIG. 5. Now, consider a light ray traveling from the inside of a transparent layer 207 of refractive index n_(A) along the sheet direction and impinging on a refracting surface 207 a of the transparent layer 207 at the point O at the incidence angle θ so that the light ray is diffracted toward a transparent layer 206 of refractive index n_(B). The refracting surface 207 a is provided with a diffraction grating of pitch Λ along the surface of the sheet of the drawing. A circle 211 around the point O at the center with radius n_(A) and a circle 212 around the point O at the center with radius n_(B) are drawn. Here, a vector originating from a point on the circle 211 and directed to the point O at angle θ is referred to as incidence vector 210 i, and the orthogonal projection vector of the incidence vector 210 i onto the refracting surface 207 a (a vector extending from the foot of the perpendicular A to the point O) is denoted by 210I. A vector 210 r originating from the point O and terminating at a point on the circle 212 is drawn such that the orthogonal projection vector 210R of the vector 210 r is identical with the vector 210I. Now consider a vector (grating vector) originating from the foot of the perpendicular C and having largeness qλ/Λ. Here, q denotes the order of diffraction (integer). The drawing shows a vector 210D for q=1. A vector 210 d originating from the point O and terminating at a point on the circle 212 is also drawn such that the terminal B of the vector 210D is coincident with the foot of the perpendicular of the vector 210 d. Considering how to draw the vectors, the directional angle φ of the vector 210 r (the angle between the vector 210 r and the normal to the refracting surface) is expressed as follows:

n _(B)×sin φ=n _(A)×sin θ  (Formula 4)

This exactly represents the Snell's law. On the other hand, the directional angle φ′ of the vector 210 d that represents the direction of the diffracted light ray (the angle between the vector 210 d and the normal to the refracting surface) is expressed as follows:

n _(B)×sin φ′=n _(A)×sin θ−qλ/Λ  (Formula 5)

In the example of FIG. 5, the angle φ′ is defined by a negative value because it passes across the z-axis (a normal to the refracting surface which passes through the point O).

Thus, the diffracted light ray has a direction deviated from the refracted light ray by qλ/Λ. In FIG. 4, the light ray 210 b that is assumed as not undergoing diffraction is equivalent to a refracted light ray, and the light ray 210 c that is assumed as undergoing diffraction has a direction deviated from the light ray 210 b by qλ/Λ so that it does not undergo total reflection at the refracting surface 205 a. Therefore, a light ray which would otherwise have been totally reflected can be extracted, so that the improvement of the light extraction efficiency may be expected as compared with an organic EL light emitting device which does not include a diffraction grating layer.

However, when considering a light ray 210A emitted from the point S in FIG. 4( a) on the assumption that the light ray 210A travels straight without undergoing diffraction by the diffraction grating layer 209, the light ray 210A would impinge on the refracting surface 205 a of the transparent substrate 205 at an incidence angle equal to or smaller than the critical angle and be refracted by the refracting surface 205 a while being transmitted therethrough as represented as a light ray 210B. However, in actuality, it is diffracted by the diffraction grating layer 209, and therefore, the incidence angle of the light on the refracting surface 205 a is greater than the critical angle as represented as a light ray 210C, so that the light impinges on the refracting surface 205 a at an incidence angle equal to or greater than the critical angle and is totally reflected. Thus, providing the diffraction grating layer 209 does not necessarily ensure the improvement of the light extraction efficiency.

In a light emitting device which includes the organic EL element shown in FIG. 4, diffracted light rays whose directions are equally shifted by qλ/Λ are derived from every one of the light rays. The light including such diffracted light rays has a light intensity distribution which varies depending on the direction, and the shift width qλ/Λ depends on the wavelength λ of emitted light. Therefore, color imbalance occurs depending on the direction in which the light is emitted. Specifically, the color of perceived light differs depending on the viewing direction. Thus, such a device is not suitable to display applications, as a matter of course, and is also not suitable to light sources.

Next, we consulted Patent Document 2 and studied a light emitting device that uses an organic EL element shown in FIG. 6, in which protrusions 315 are provided on the surface of a transparent substrate 305. As shown in FIG. 6( a), an electrode 302, a light emitting layer 303, a transparent electrode 304, and a transparent substrate 305 are staked on a substrate 301 in this order, and a plurality of protrusions 315 are provided on the surface 305 a of the transparent substrate 305. Each of the protrusions 315 is in the shape of a quadrangular prism of width w and height h. The protrusions 315 having such a shape are placed at random positions over the transparent substrate surface 305 a as shown in FIG. 6( b). Here, w is in the range of 0.4 μm to 20 μm, and h is in the range of 0.4 μm to 10 μm. Such protrusions 315 are provided in the density of 5000 to 1000000 protrusions/mm². Application of a voltage between the electrode 302 and the transparent electrode 304 causes radiation of light at the point S in the light emitting layer 303. A radiated light ray 310 d enters the transparent electrode 304 directly or after being reflected by the electrode 302 and is transmitted therethrough. Part of the transmitted light is extracted outside via the protrusions 315 as represented as a light ray 310 f. The actual protrusions 315 can be processed by means of side etching so as to be tapered to the tip end and, even without the side etching, the effective refractive index falls on a value around the midpoint between the transparent substrate 305 and the air layer, so that the refractive index distribution can be changed constantly and moderately. Therefore, the refractive index distribution approaches to one that is shown in FIG. 3( b), and hence, reflection of light by the protrusions 315, which is denoted by 310 e, can be partially prevented. As a result, the light extraction efficiency can be improved. Even when the size of the protrusions 315 is equal to or greater than the wavelength, the interference of emitted light rays can be prevented because the protrusions 315 are in a random arrangement.

However, when considering that, in a light emitting device which has the structure shown in FIG. 6, the effect of the protrusions resides in antireflection as suggested in Patent Document 2, it is seen from the comparison between the curves 108 a and 108 b and the curves 108A and 108B of FIG. 3( c) that the improvement in transmittance is achieved only for the light rays that are incident at angles equal to or smaller than the critical angle, and the improvement of the light extraction efficiency is only 10% to 20%, in which a great improvement cannot be expected.

After the above studies, the present inventors continued to examine how to decrease the amount of total reflection by the refracting surface and how to increase the amount of light which can be extracted. At the beginning of the continued examination, we studied the boundary conditions of light at the refracting surface.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the boundary conditions of a field of light at the refracting surface, in which a light beam of width W impinging on the refracting surface T is considered. According to the Maxwell equations, the integral of an electric field vector or a magnetic field vector along a closed path A that is traced so as to traverse the refracting surface T is zero. Note that the premises assumed herein are that there is not a charge or a light source in an area inside the closed path and that the intensity and phase of the electric or magnetic field vector along the refracting surface T are continuous.

When width W is sufficiently large as shown in FIG. 7( a), width t that is perpendicular to the refracting surface can be negligibly small as compared with width s that is taken along the refracting surface. Of the contour integral, only components along the refracting surface are remaining. This relationship requires that the electric or magnetic field vector is continuous so as to extend through the refracting surface. One that is derived by utilizing this continuity relationship is the Fresnel's formula, by which the laws of reflection and refraction, the phenomenon of total reflection, etc., are completely elucidated.

As shown in FIG. 7( b), when the width W of the light is several ten times smaller than the wavelength, the width t is noneligible. Here, when the contour integral A is divided into B and C (see FIG. 7( c)), the contour integral B is included in the light beam and is therefore zero. As for the remaining contour integral C, the electric or magnetic field vector outside the light beam is zero, so that only the integral value of the path PQ that is within the light beam is remaining (see FIG. 7( d)). Therefore, the contour integral C is not zero so that, by calculation, it is equivalent to a condition where light is radiated inside the closed path. When the width W of the light beam is as small as about 1/10 of the wavelength, the contour integrals C and C′ become closer to each other as shown in FIG. 7( e) so that the paths PQ and Q′P′ overlap with each other. Accordingly, the contour integral of C plus C′ is zero, so that light cannot be radiated within the closed path.

On the other hand, on the assumption that light beams between which the phase difference is n occur side by side along the refracting surface as shown in FIG. 7( f), the contour integral A which extends over these light beams is now considered. In this case also, when the width W of the light is several ten times smaller than the wavelength, the width t is noneligible. Here, when the contour integral A is divided into B, C, and B′ (see FIG. 7( g)), the contour integrals B and B′ are included in the light beams so that they are zero. As for the remaining contour integral C, the components along the refracting surface are negligible, so that only the integral value of the paths PQ and Q′P′ that extend along the boundary between the two light beams is remaining (see FIG. 7( h)). Since the integral along the path Q′P′ in a field in which the phase of the light beam is n is equal to the integral along the path P′Q′ of a field in which the phase of the light beam is 0, the contour integral C is twice the integral along the path PQ so that, by calculation, it is equivalent to a condition where light is radiated inside the closed path. Therefore, not only in the case of a narrow light beam but also in the case where light beams in different phases occur side by side with a narrow gap therebetween, light occurs near the boundary of the width. (This phenomenon is not actual emission of light but behavior of light which is effectively equivalent to emission of light. This is similar to a phenomenon called “boundary diffraction” by Young prior to the establishment of the diffraction theory, and is therefore referred to as a “boundary diffraction effect.”)

If radiation of light occurs on the refracting surface T, the light would propagate through both media on the opposite sides of the refracting surface irrespective of the incidence conditions on the refracting surface T. That is, even in the case of a light ray that is incident at an angle equal to or greater than the critical angle, it is estimated that transmitted light rays would occur without being totally reflected so long as the structure is configured by calculation such that radiation of light occurs on the refracting surface. Based on the results of such examinations, the present inventors studied the structure of the refracting surface, as will be described below, with the view of actually producing a phenomenon that light is transmitted through the refracting surface even when the incidence angle of the light on the refracting surface exceeds the critical angle.

Two examples are shown in FIG. 8, in which a large boundary diffraction effect is obtained. (a) A pinhole is provided at the boundary between a transparent substrate placed on a light emitting body and the air layer while light is blocked in the other area so that pinhole light is obtained (light exists only in a white square box of width w). (b) 180°-phase shifters 18 are arranged at random in the boxes of a chessboard-like grid, each box having width w. First, the pinhole example was examined, but actual light extraction via the pinhole could not be achieved. The example of phase shifters in a random arrangement was examined which was expected to achieve an equal light extraction characteristic to that of the pinhole.

FIG. 9 illustrates the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance t at the refracting surface in the structure shown in FIG. 8. Here, a light beam at the wavelength of 0.635 μm, the light amount of which is 1 in a transparent substrate with the refractive index of 1.457, impinges on the boundary between the transparent substrate and the air layer at the incidence angle θ (the angle between the light beam and the normal to the refracting surface). The curves show how much of the light impinging on the refracting surface for the first time is emitted into the air, with the parameter of width w (w=0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 20.0 (μm)). (The 180°-phase shifters 18 are used instead because the pinhole light and the 180°-phase shifters exhibit exactly equal characteristics.) As for the characteristic for w=20 μm which is approximate to that obtained in the conditions of FIG. 7( a), the transmittance is approximately zero when the critical angle (43.34°) is exceeded. When w decreases to 0.4 to 1.0 μm, the transmittance is large even when the critical angle is exceeded, due to the boundary diffraction effect which has been described with reference to FIGS. 7( d) and 7(h). When w is further decreased (w=0.1 μm, 0.2 μm), the transmittance becomes closer to 0 at every incidence angle as described with reference to FIG. 7( e). Note that the analysis result of FIG. 9 is based on the Helmholtz's wave equation (so called “scalar wave equation”), and therefore, no difference occurs between the P-polarization and the S-polarization.)

FIG. 10 shows the experimental results which illustrate the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance t of incident P-polarization for the first time. Since fabrication of minute phase shifters 18 is difficult in actual manufacturing, a mask in which portions of phase 0° transmit light while portions of phase 180° are covered with a light blocking film (Cr film) is used instead in experiments. (The mask is formed by randomly arranging light blocking films in the boxes of a chessboard-like grid, each box having width w. This mask is equivalent to a random arrangement of pinhole light spots). In the actually fabricated mask patterns, width w was 0.6 μm, 0.8 μm, 1.0 μm, 2.0 μm, and 5.0 μm. The apparatus used in the experiments was composed of a semiconductor laser (wavelength: 0.635 μm), a triangular prism 58 (BK7), a mask substrate 59 (synthetic quartz, refractive index: 1.457, with a mask pattern formed on the back surface), a light collecting lens system 50, and a photodetector 51 as shown in FIG. 11. The triangular prism was tightly placed on the surface of the mask substrate with the intervention of a matching solution 52 of refractive index 1.51. A laser light beam was provided from the triangular prism side while the directional angle was measured, and transmitted light leaking from the back surface side was collected by the light collecting lens system 50. The amount of the transmitted light was measured by the photodetector 51. In the case of the mask, the light was blocked by the light blocking film portions which are equal to ½ of the total area, and as such, the amount of the transmitted light was ½ of that transmitted when the phase shifters were used. Thus, the transmittance t was normalized with the amount of light impinging on the portions that are not provided with a light blocking film (½ of the total light amount). The experimental results exhibit a good agreement with the analysis results shown in FIG. 9. It is understood that the transmittance is large even when the critical angle (43.34) is exceeded, and that this tendency grows as w becomes smaller.

Based on the above results, the present inventors continued studies to finally arrive at a novel light emitting device in which total reflection is prevented so that the light extraction efficiency can be greatly improved.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings that will be referred to in the following sections, components that have substantially the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals for the sake of simplicity of description.

First Embodiment

The first embodiment is described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 19 and FIG. 27.

FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional structure of a light emitting device which includes an organic EL element according to the first embodiment and propagation of light. An electrode 2, a light emitting layer 3, a transparent electrode 4 are stacked on a substrate 1 in this order, and a transparent substrate (transparent protection layer) 5 is provided on the transparent electrode 4. The substrate 1, the electrode 2, the light emitting layer 3, and the transparent electrode 4 constitute a light emitting body. A surface of the transparent substrate 5 is provided with a surface structure 13 which is divided into minute regions and which has fine recessed and raised portions.

Application of a voltage between the electrode 2 and the transparent electrode 4 causes radiation of light at the point S in the light emitting layer 3. This light enters the transparent electrode 4 directly or after being reflected by the electrode 2 and is transmitted therethrough. The transmitted light impinges on the surface structure 13 of the surface of the transparent substrate 5 at point P at the incidence angle θ relative to the normal to the surface. At this point, the light is diffracted by the surface structure 13 to be emitted into the air layer 6.

Total reflection must occur when the incidence angle θ is greater than the critical angle θc=sin⁻¹(n₀/n₁) where n₀ is the refractive index of the air layer 6 and n₁ is the refractive index of the transparent substrate 5. However, there is the surface structure 13 in the surface of the transparent substrate 5, and therefore, light impinging on point Q at an incidence angle equal to or greater than the critical angle θ_(c) is diffracted without being totally reflected, so that the diffracted light is emitted into the air layer 6 (first light extraction). Note that, at point Q, part of the light is reflected. The reflected component is then reflected by the electrode 2 and again impinges on the surface structure 13 at point R. Part of the light impinging on the surface structure 13 at point R is emitted into the air layer 6 (second light extraction) while the remaining part of the light is reflected. This process is repeated endlessly.

Now, consider a light emitting device which includes a conventional organic EL element that does not have the surface structure 13. Light transmitted through the transparent substrate and impinging on the interface between the transparent substrate and the air layer at an incidence angle equal to or greater than the critical angle is totally reflected. Even if the totally reflected light is then reflected by the electrode, the light reflected by the electrode impinges on the interface between the transparent substrate and the air layer again at an incidence angle equal to or greater than the critical angle, so that the second and subsequent light extractions do not occur. In this point, the example considered herein is different from the present embodiment.

Hereinafter, the surface structure 13, which is a feature of the present embodiment, is described in detail.

FIG. 13 shows a pattern diagram of the surface structure 13 of the first embodiment. The left part of the FIG. 13( a) shows a top view, and the right part shows a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the top view. As shown in FIG. 13( a), the surface structure 13 is formed by dividing the surface of the transparent substrate 5 into boxes of a chessboard-like grid (square minute regions δ), each of which has the width w (referred to as “boundary width”), without leaving any gap therebetween and randomly allocating raised portions (which are denoted by “13 a” in the drawing (minute regions δ₁), dotted boxes) or recessed portions which are defined relative to the raised portions (which are denoted by “13 b” in the drawing (minute regions δ₂), white boxes) to respective ones of the boxes (minute regions δ) such that the proportion of the raised portions or recessed portions is 50%. FIG. 13( b) shows an example where w=0.4 μm (black boxes correspond to the raised portions, and white boxes correspond to the recessed portions). The height of the raised portions from the bottom of the recessed portions is d. Specifically, one of the minute regions δ is adjoined by and surrounded by some other ones of the minute regions δ. The minute regions δ₁ protrude above the surface of the transparent substrate 5 to a level higher than the minute regions δ₂. Considering that there is a reference plane which is parallel to the surface of the transparent substrate 5 and which is equidistant from the minute regions δ₁ and the minute regions in terms of a direction perpendicular to the surface of the transparent substrate 5, the minute regions δ₁ are protruding above the reference plane by d/2, and the minute regions δ₂ are receding below the reference plane by d/2. This can be explained in a different way. Consider that a surface of the transparent substrate 5 at its border with the air 6 has a plurality of recesses (white boxes) while the other portions of the surface than the recesses are coplanar, and the depths of the recesses are substantially equal to d, the bottom surfaces of the recesses being referred to as the first reference plane. In this case, the first reference plane includes a plurality of divisional minute regions δ having equal areas, each of which is 1.5×1.5 μm² or smaller. The shape of the bottom surface of the recess is identical with a shape of two or more minute regions δ joined together or a shape of only one minute region δ. The recesses are randomly arranged over the first reference plane. Note that the first reference plane is different from the above-described reference plane.

The probability that each of the minute regions δ is the minute region δ₁ or the minute region δ₂ is 50% in the present embodiment. Thus, among the minute regions δ, two or more minute regions δ₁ or minute regions δ₂ successively adjoin one another. In this case, no boundary is formed between the adjoining minute regions δ₁ or minute regions δ₂, and the boundary is imaginary. However, the boundary between these regions is not formed only because the minute regions δ₁ or minute regions δ₂ are successively adjoining and, in this case also, it can be said that the surface of the transparent substrate 5 is divided with one minute region 6 being the basic unit of the division.

The formation of the surface structure 13 may be realized by preparing a mold which has recessed portions and raised portions formed by means of etching, transferring the shape of the mold to a resin sheet by pressing, and attaching the resultant sheet onto the transparent electrode 4 with the intervention of the transparent substrate 5 which functions as an adhesive layer. In this case, the transparent substrate 5 is a transparent sheet. Alternatively, the surface structure 13 may be realized by directly forming recessed portions and raised portions by means of etching or the like in a surface of a sheet or in the surface of the transparent substrate 5 which has been formed as a protection layer.

Light diffracted by such a random pattern has random propagation directions. Therefore, variation in light intensity distribution and color imbalance which would occur depending on the direction in the light emitting device described in Patent Document 1 would not occur in the present embodiment. Light incoming from the external environment (air layer side) is reflected by the surface structure 13 formed in the surface of the transparent substrate 5. This reflected light is diffracted in random directions, so that an ambient image is not reflected in the surface. Therefore, an optical treatment, such as an antireflection film or the like, is not necessary and, accordingly, the manufacturing cost can be decreased. FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 show the results of analysis of the viewing angle dependence of the light which is extracted from, i.e., emitted from the surface structure of the first embodiment in the first light extraction (first extracted light). Here, the height difference is d=0.7 μm, and the wavelength λ and the boundary width w are parameters. In FIG. 14( a), these parameters are λ=0.450 μm and w=0.5 μm; in FIG. 14( b), λ=0.635 μm and w=0.5 μm; in FIG. 14( c), λ=0.450 μm and w=1.0 μm; in FIG. 14( d), λ=0.635 μm and w=1.0 μm; in FIG. 15( a), λ=0.450 μm and w=1.5 μm; in FIG. 15( b), λ=0.635 μm and w=1.5 μm; in FIG. 15( c), λ=0.450 μm and w=2.0 μm; and in FIG. 15( d), λ=0.635 μm and w=2.0 μm. A vector extending from the origin to a point on the curve represents the light intensity and the emission direction of emitted light. The length of the vector corresponds to the light intensity, and the direction of the vector corresponds to the emission direction. The vertical axis corresponds to the direction of an axis normal to the plane (plane-normal axis), and the horizontal axis corresponds to the direction of an axis in the plan (in-plane axis). The solid line represents the characteristic in a cross section in which the in-plane axis extends along the x-axis or y-axis of FIG. 13( b) (longitudes 0° and 90°). The broken line represents the characteristic in a cross section in which the in-plane axis extends along the line of y=x or y=−x (longitudes 45° and 135°). (The result for the longitude 90° is equal to that for the longitude 0°, and the result for the longitude 135° is equal to that for the longitude 45°. Therefore, the results for these longitudes are not shown.) For the boundary widths w=0.5 μm and 1.0 μm, both the solid line and the broken line exhibit moderate variations relative to the declination (latitude), i.e., exhibit a small difference in intensity that may be caused due to the parallax, and exhibit an agreement with each other. As w is increased to w=2.0 μm, the variation in intensity relative to the declination increases around the plane-normal direction. When λ=0.450 μm, the separation of the solid line and the broken line is larger. w=1.5 μm is the critical condition at which the intensity variation occurs. Therefore, it is understood that the viewing angle dependence with which the light intensity in the plane-normal direction is strong, with which the variation in light intensity relative to the declination (latitude) is moderate, and with which the light intensity difference in the longitude direction is small can be obtained under the condition that the boundary width w is 1.5 μm or less.

FIG. 16 illustrates the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance t of the surface structure 13 of the first embodiment. FIG. 16( a) illustrates how much of light whose light amount is 1 in the transparent substrate 5 and which impinges on the surface structure at the incidence angle θ (the angle from the normal to the refracting surface) is emitted into the air 6 in the first light extraction. FIG. 16( b) illustrates the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance for the light which is reflected by the surface structure 13 and then reflected by the electrode 2 to impinge on the surface structure 13 again, i.e., the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance in the second light extraction. In both diagrams, the refractive index of the transparent substrate 5 is n₁=1.457, the refractive index of the air 6 is n₀=1.0, the wavelength of light is λ=0.635 μm, the protrusion height of the minute regions δ₁ relative to the minute regions δ₂ is d=0.70 μm, and the area proportion of the minute regions δ₁ (i.e., the proportion of the raised portions) is P-0.5. The width of the surface structure, w, is a parameter (w=0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 μm). Note that the protrusion height of d=0.70 μm is equivalent to a condition where, as for vertically incident light, the phase difference between light transmitted through the recessed portions and light transmitted through the raised portions is n (d=λ/2 (n₁−n₀)).

The results shown in FIG. 16( a) are approximate to the results from the 180°-phase shifter (FIG. 9), except for the results for w=0.1 μm and 0.2 μm, so that the transmittance is large even if the critical angle is exceeded. FIG. 17 is an experimental result which illustrates the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance t when the incident light is P-polarization. The experiment was carried out with a quartz substrate in which a random pattern of recessed portions and raised portions, depth d=0.70 μm and boundary width w=0.4 μm, was actually formed according to an electron beam method, with the use of the measurement apparatus shown in FIG. 11. The experimental result exhibited good agreement with the analysis result shown in FIG. 16( a), and it is understood that the transmittance is large even if the critical angle (43.34°) is exceeded. As previously described in the section provided before the present embodiment, if equivalent emission of light (so called “boundary diffraction effect”) occurs on the refracting surface, the light would propagate through both media on the opposite sides of the refracting surface irrespective of the incidence conditions on the refracting surface. The phenomenon illustrated in FIG. 16, in which light is transmitted through the refracting surface even if the critical angle is exceeded, can be explained based on the conditions which allow occurrence of equivalent radiation of light on this refracting surface.

Assuming that point light radiation occurs and light uniformly diffuses inside the transparent substrate 5 in the form of a spherical wave, the total amount of light in the range of the directional angle of radiation from θ (identical with the above-described incidence angle θ) to θ+dθ is proportional to sin θdθ. Therefore, the amount of extracted light is proportional to the transmittance t shown in FIGS. 16( a) and 16(b) multiplied by sin θ. FIGS. 18( a) and 18(b) illustrate the incidence angle dependence of the amount of extracted light at the surface structure of the first embodiment. FIG. 18( a) illustrates how much of light whose light amount is 1 and which is radiated from a point in the transparent substrate 5 (in actuality, a point in the light emitting layer) and impinges on the surface structure at the incidence angle θ (the angle from the normal to the refracting surface) is emitted into the air 6 in the first light extraction. FIG. 18( b) illustrates the incidence angle dependence of the amount of extracted light for the light which is once reflected by the surface structure 13 and then reflected by the electrode 2 to impinge on the surface structure 13 again, i.e., the incidence angle dependence of the amount of extracted light in the second light extraction.

Here, the light extraction efficiency is obtained by integrating the amount of extracted light by the incidence angle θ. FIGS. 19( a) and 19(b) illustrate the light extraction efficiency of the surface structure 13 of the first embodiment. The data are shown together, under the same conditions as those of FIG. 16, with the abscissa axis representing the boundary width w of the surface structure 13. FIG. 19( a) shows the light extraction efficiency for the protrusion height of the surface structure 13 d=0.70 μm, as well as for d=0.1, 0.30, 0.50, 1.40 μm (the light extraction efficiency in the first light extraction, η₁), and the light extraction efficiency for light which is reflected by the surface structure 13 and then reflected by the electrode 2 to impinge on the surface structure 13 again on the assumption that attenuation of light during its to-and-fro travel, such as absorption by the transparent electrode 4 and reflection loss at the electrode 2, would not occur (the light extraction efficiency in the second light extraction, η₂). The curves 5 a and 5A represent the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions for d=0.70 μm. The curves 5 b and 5B represent the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions for d=0.50 μm. The curves 5 c and 5C represent the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions for d=0.30 μm. The curves 5 g and 5G represent the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions for d=0.10 μm. In this case, the light extraction efficiency is lower than those for the other depths, and hence, the protrusion height d need to be 0.20 μm or more. As illustrated by the curve 5 h, when d is equal to or greater than twice the visible light wavelength (d≧1.4 μm), the efficiency in the first light extraction greatly deteriorates in the region where width w is 1.5 μm or less. Therefore, the protrusion height d is preferably 1.4 μm or less. Thus, the recommended values of d are within the range of 0.2 μm to 1.4 μm. More generally speaking, the condition of λ/(n₁−n₀)≧d≧λ/6(n₁−n₀) is the recommended value range for the height difference, where n₁ is the refractive index of the transparent substrate 5, n₀ is the refractive index of the air 6 (note that the medium with which the transparent substrate 5 is in contact does not need to be the air, but the refractive index n₀ of the medium may be smaller than the refractive index n₁ of the transparent substrate 5), and A is the center wavelength of the spectrum of light.

In the range of d≦0.70 μm, the light extraction efficiencies in the first light extraction achieve the local maximum when the boundary width w is from 0.4 μm to 2 μm. As w is decreased or increased, the light extraction efficiencies approach to 0.27 (which is a value of the light extraction efficiency given by Formula 3 when the surface is a specular surface). The light extraction efficiency in the second light extraction has the local maximum value in the range from w=0.10 μm to w=2.0 μm and approaches to 0.00 as w increases (although not shown in the range of FIG. 19). In the range of w≦0.10 μm, it converges to 0.00 as w decreases.

For comparison, in FIG. 19( b), the curves 5 d and 5D represent the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions under the condition that the phase shifters which convert the phase of light by 180° are provided in the minute regions δ₁ instead of the surface structure 13. In the surface structure 13 of the present embodiment, a phase difference occurs between the light transmitted through the recessed portions and the light transmitted through the raised portions during the transmission therethrough by the distance equal to the height difference, whereas the phase shifter is capable of producing an equivalent phase difference with no transmission distance. In the case of the phase shifter, as the boundary width w increases, the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions approach to 0.27 and 0.00, respectively, as they do for the surface structure 13. As w decreases to 0.3 μm or smaller, not only the light extraction efficiency in the second light extraction but also the light extraction efficiency in the first light extraction become zero (the reason for this has already been described with reference to FIG. 7( e)). One of the possible reasons for a higher light extraction efficiency obtained in the surface structure 13 of the present embodiment, under the condition that the boundary width is 0.4 μm or less, than that achieved in the phase shifter is the function of the raised portions as a light guiding path.

The light extraction efficiency in the second light extraction with consideration for attenuation of light during its to-and-fro travel between the surface of the transparent substrate 5 and the electrode 2 is τ×η₂ where τ is the transmittance of light during its to-and-fro travel between the surface of the transparent substrate 5 and the electrode 2 relative to the transparent substrate 5. Extraction of light is not limited to once or twice but is repeated endlessly. On the assumption that the relationship is a geometric progression where the light extraction efficiency in the first light extraction is η₁ and the light extraction efficiency in the second light extraction is τ×η₂, the light extraction efficiency for the n^(th) light extraction is expected to be η₁×(τ×η₂/η₁)^(n-1). Thus, the total amount of extracted light up to the n^(th) light extraction is:

$\begin{matrix} {\eta_{1} \times {\sum\limits_{k = 1}^{n}\left( {\tau \times {\eta_{2}/\eta_{1}}} \right)^{k - 1}}} & \left( {{Formula}\mspace{20mu} 6} \right) \end{matrix}$

When n is infinite, it approaches to η₁/(1−τ×η₂/η₁).

In FIG. 19( a), as for the curves 5 a and 5A (d=0.70 μm), when w=0.60 μm, η₁-0.318 and η₂=0.093, and the light extraction efficiency obtained for τ=0.88 is 0.428. When w=1.00 μm, η₁=0.319 and η₂=0.102, and the light extraction efficiency obtained is 0.444. On the other hand, in the conventional light emitting device shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3(a), η₁=0.274 and η₂=0, and for the second and subsequent incidences, the efficiencies are all zero; thus, the total light extraction efficiency is 0.274. Therefore, it is understood that, under the condition of w=0.60 μm, the light emitting device of the present embodiment achieves a light extraction efficiency that is 1.56 times that of the light emitting device shown in FIG. 3( a). Under the condition of w=1.00 μm, the light emitting device of the present embodiment achieves a light extraction efficiency that is 1.62 times that of the light emitting device shown in FIG. 3( a). Thus, when w is greater than 0.2 μm (generally, when the diameter of the largest inscribed circle of the minute regions δ is 0.2 μm or greater), the light extraction efficiency can be greatly improved.

Next, the dependence on the wavelength of the light extraction efficiency of the surface structure 13 of the present embodiment is considered.

The curves 5 a′, 5A′, 5 h′, and 5H′ of FIG. 19( a) represent the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions for d=0.70 μm and 1.40 μm under the condition where the wavelength is 0.45 μm. These characteristics are substantially identical with the results for the wavelength of 0.635 μm. Therefore, it is understood that the variation in extraction efficiency due to the wavelength difference within the visible light range can be decreased.

Thus, the surface structure 13 of the present embodiment achieves a light extraction efficiency which is approximate to the optimum value for all the wavelengths within the visible light range even when the surface structure 13 has a single shape (defined by d and w). Therefore, when this structure is used in the display surface of a display device, it is not necessary to prepare different shapes for respective ones of the three types of pixels of RGB, so that the configuration and adjustments made during assemblage can be greatly simplified.

In some organic EL elements, a transparent adjustment layer may be provided on the transparent electrode 4 for adjusting the transmittance of light during its to-and-fro travel between the transparent substrate 5 and the electrode 2. In this case, the transparent substrate 5 is stacked on the adjustment layer (i.e., an organic EL element which further includes the adjustment layer may be referred to as “light emitting body”). When the refractive index n₁ of the transparent substrate 5 is smaller than the refractive index n₁′ of the adjustment layer, there is an interface between the transparent substrate 5 and the adjustment layer at which total reflection occurs. Especially when n₁′−n₁>0.1, the interface produces a noneligible effect. FIG. 20 shows the propagation of light under such a condition.

In FIG. 20, light radiated from the point S that is inside the light emitting layer 3 of the refractive index n₂ enters the transparent electrode 4 directly or after being reflected by the electrode 2 and is then transmitted therethrough. Then, the light is transmitted through an adjustment layer 15 of the refractive index n₁′ and refracted at point P′ on an interface 15 a. The refracted light is transmitted through the transparent substrate 5 of the refractive index n₁ to be emitted into the air 6 via point P on the interface between the transparent substrate 5 and the air 6. Here, n₁′≧n₂>n₁>1.0. Note that n₁′ may be smaller than n₂, but in such a case, total reflection occurs between the transparent electrode 4 and the adjustment layer 15. Since a surface of the transparent substrate 5 bordering on the air 6 has the surface structure 13 of the present embodiment, light that is incident at an angle greater than the critical angle can also be extracted to the air layer 6 side. However, due to the relationship of n₁′>n₁, total reflection also occurs on the interface 15 a. Specifically, incidence of light at point Q′ which occurs with a greater incidence angle than at point P′ results in total reflection. This reflected light repeatedly undergoes total reflection between the interface 15 a and the electrode 2 and therefore cannot be extracted to the air 6 side.

In such a case, as shown in FIG. 21, another surface structure 13′ of the present embodiment is provided at the interface between the adjustment layer 15 and the transparent substrate 5, whereby light impinging on this surface at an incidence angle greater than the critical angle can be extracted to the air 6 side. Specifically, due to the surface structure 13′, incidence of light at point Q′ at an angle greater than the critical angle does not result in occurrence of total reflection. A component of the light which is reflected by this surface is then reflected by the electrode 2 to again impinge on the surface structure 13′ at point R′. Part of the impinging light can be emitted into the air 6 via the surface structure 13. This process is repeated endlessly. The configuration of FIG. 21 has complexity in forming two layers of the surface structures 13, 13′ which have recessed portions and raised portions. However, the configuration of FIG. 21 is advantageous because a material of a low refractive index can be used for the transparent substrate 5, so that a wider selection of materials can be provided.

Note that, as seen from formula 6, as the transmittance τ of light during its to-and-fro travel between the transparent substrate 5 and the electrode 2 increases, the light extraction efficiency increases. In an actual device, the light emitting layer 3 is surrounded by a plurality of transparent layers, such as the above-described adjustment layer 15, as well as by the electrode 2 and the transparent electrode 4. The design of these films (the refractive index and the thickness of the films including the light emitting layer 3) is to be determined such that the above-described transmittance τ achieves the maximum value. In this case, reflection by the surface structure 13 results in a random phase distribution, and therefore, superposition of reflected light beams is considered as being incoherent (it is not addition of amplitudes but addition of intensities). Thus, the effects of the reflection by the surface of the transparent substrate 5 are negligible, and therefore, it can be assumed that the reflectance is 0% and the transmittance is 100%. The refractive index and the thickness of respective one of the films are determined so as to maximize the amount of light obtained by superimposition of complex amplitudes of light beams which are radiated from the transparent substrate 5 and repeatedly travel to-and-fro through a multilayer film including the light emitting layer 3 to return to the transparent substrate 5 under the above assumption.

Second Embodiment

The second embodiment is described with reference to FIG. 22 and FIG. 23. Note that the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in the pattern of the surface structure 13, and the other elements are all the same as those of the first embodiment. The descriptions of the common elements are herein omitted.

In the second embodiment, the proportion of the raised portions of the surface structure, P, and the proportion of the recessed portions, 1−P, are not fixed to 0.5 but are within the range of P=0.4 to 0.98. Specifically, the minute regions δ₁ (the regions protruding above the surface) constitute 40% to 98%, while the minute regions δ₂ (recesses) constitute 60% to 2%.

FIG. 22( a) illustrates the light extraction efficiency of the surface structure of the present embodiment. The refractive index of the transparent substrate 5 is n₁=1.457. The refractive index of the air 6 is n₀=1.0. The wavelength of light is λ=0.635 μm. The protrusion height of the surface structure is d=0.70 μm. The abscissa axis represents the boundary width w of the surface structure. The light extraction efficiencies for the proportion P=0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 0.9 (in the first and second light extractions). The curves 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d, 6 e and 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E represent the light extraction efficiencies for P=0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 0.9, respectively. The curves 27 a and 27A of FIG. 23 represent the light extraction efficiencies (in the first and second light extractions) which are plotted over the abscissa axis that represents the proportion of the raised portions, P, under the above conditions for the boundary width of w=1.0 μm.

As seen from FIG. 22( a), in terms of the light extraction efficiency in the first light extraction, the characteristic for the proportion P=0.2 is the lowest in the entire range of w. In the range of w≦2 μm, the characteristic for P=0.6 exhibits the largest value. In terms of the light extraction efficiency in the second light extraction, in the range of w≦4 μm, the characteristic for P=0.9 is the highest, and the characteristic for P=0.2 is the lowest.

As seen from the curve 27 a of FIG. 23, in the first light extraction, the light extraction efficiency can be further improved by setting the proportion P, which determines the area ratio between the recessed portions and the raised portions, within a range centered at 0.6 and ranging from 0.4 to 0.8. This is presumably because the raised portions effectively function as a light guiding path in this range. (When P≦0.2, the area proportion of the raised portions which constitute a light guiding path is small. When P≧0.8, adjacent raised portions are too close to one another so that the wave guiding effect decreases.) On the other hand, as seen from the curve 27A of FIG. 23, as for the second light extraction, the light extraction efficiency can be further improved by setting the proportion P within a range centered at 0.9 and ranging from 0.5 to 0.98. Thus, in terms of the total light extraction efficiency including the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions, the proportion P is preferably set within the range of 0.4 to 0.98.

Thus, in the present embodiment, the proportion P is deviated from 0.5, whereby a higher light extraction efficiency than that of the first embodiment can be obtained. Also, as in the first embodiment, variation in light intensity distribution and color imbalance do not occur depending on the direction, and the light extraction efficiency can be greatly improved. Also, reflection of an ambient image can be prevented.

Third Embodiment

The third embodiment is described with reference to FIG. 22( b). The third embodiment is different from the first and second embodiments only in the height difference conditions of the surface structure 13, and the other elements are all the same as those of the first and second embodiments. The descriptions of the common elements are herein omitted.

In the third embodiment, the difference in height between two adjacent minute regions δ₁, δ₂ of the surface structure of the first or second embodiment varies randomly. The method of making such a random arrangement is realized by dividing the surface of the transparent substrate 5 into boxes of a chessboard-like grid (square minute regions δ) without leaving any gap therebetween as shown in FIG. 13( a), each box having the width w (herein referred to as “boundary width”), and randomly allocating arbitrary heights (or depths) within a range from −d_(m)/2 to d_(m)/2 relative to a single reference plane to respective ones of the boxes according to a random function. The single reference plane may be a plane which is parallel to the surface of the transparent substrate 5 and which is equidistant from a highest one of the minute regions δ and a lowest one of the minute regions δ in terms of a direction parallel to the normal to the surface of the transparent substrate 5. d_(m) represents the difference in position in terms of a height direction between the highest one of the minute regions δ and the lowest one of the minute regions δ.

FIG. 22( b) illustrates the light extraction efficiency of the surface structure of the present embodiment. The refractive index of the transparent substrate 5 is n₁=1.457. The refractive index of the air 6 is n₀=1.0. The wavelength of light is λ=0.635 μm. The light extraction efficiencies η₁ in the first light extraction and the light extraction efficiencies η₂ in the second light extraction, for the maximum height differences d_(m)=1.4, 0.9, 0.7, and 0.3 μm, are shown over the abscissa axis that represents the boundary width of the surface structure (the width of the minute regions δ) w. For the convenience of calculation, the randomness in height difference relative to the reference plane is determined such that four height difference values are randomly selected (the probability of occurrence of each height difference value is 25%) as follows: for d_(m)=1.4 μm, 4 different height difference values from −0.7 μm to 0.7 μm at intervals of 0.467 μm; for d_(m)=0.9 μm, different height difference values from −0.45 μm to 0.45 μm at intervals of 0.3 μm; for d_(m)=0.7 μm, 4 different height difference values from −0.35 μm to 0.35 μm at intervals of 0.233 μm; and for d_(m)=0.3 μm, 4 different height difference values from −0.15 μm to 0.15 μm at intervals of 0.1 μm. Note that the probabilities of occurrence of the respective steps do not need to be equal. For example, the probabilities of occurrence of steps at lower (deeper) positions may be greater, while the probabilities of occurrence of steps at higher (shallower) positions may be smaller.

The curves 6 i and 6I represent the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions, respectively, for d_(m)=1.4 μm. The curves 6 h and 6H represent the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions, respectively, for d_(m)=0.9 μm. The curves 6 g and 6G represent the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions, respectively, for d_(m)=0.7 μm. The curves 6 f and 6F represent the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions, respectively, for d_(m)=0.3 μm. As in the first example, the light extraction efficiency in the first light extraction achieves the local maximum when the boundary width w is from 0.2 μm to 2 μm. As w is decreased or increased, the extraction efficiency approaches to 0.27 (which is a value of the light extraction efficiency given by Formula 3 when the surface is a specular surface). The light extraction efficiency in the second light extraction converges to 0.00 as w decreases in the range of w≦0.20 μm. The light extraction efficiency approaches to 0.00 as w is increased from 8 μm, although not shown. Therefore, the range of the boundary width w needs to be 0.2 μm or greater. Further, as discussed with reference to FIG. 14 and FIG. 159 in conjunction with the first example, it is preferably 1.5 μm or less in consideration of the viewing angle dependence. In FIG. 22( b), the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions (η₁, η₂) calculated under the conditions of d_(m)=0.7 μm and the boundary width w=0.6 μm are 0.331 and 0.141, respectively. Therefore, the characteristic obtained for d_(m)=0.7 μm is better in terms of the light extraction efficiency in the second light extraction than the characteristic obtained in the first embodiment (curve 5A) and the characteristic obtained in the second embodiment (curves 6B and 6C). This is presumably because the tip ends of the raised portions are at different heights so that the randomness of the pattern increases. Accordingly, the randomness of the propagation direction of light reflected by the surface structure increases so that the diffusion of the reflected light improves. As a result, even in the second light extraction, light can be incident on the surface structure in approximately the same conditions as those of the first light extraction (the light intensity is uniform among all the directions).

In the range of w≧0.4 μm, the characteristic for d_(m)=0.30 μm in the first light extraction is inferior to that for d_(m)=0.70 μm. Therefore, d_(m) is preferably d_(m)≧0.2 μm to 0.3 μm. (This range is equal to that of the first embodiment). In the range of w≧1.0 μm, the characteristic for d_(m)=1.40 μm in the first light extraction is slightly better than that for d_(m)=0.70 μm. However, when d_(m) is too large, the processing is difficult, and the viewing angle characteristic deteriorates in the condition of w≧1.5 μm (see FIG. 14 and FIG. 15). Thus, 1.40 μm may be an appropriate value for the upper limit of d_(m). These ranges are equal to the range of the first embodiment (λ/(n₁−n₀)≧d_(m)≧λ/6(n₁−n₀)).

As described hereinabove, in the third embodiment, the height difference is randomly varying, so that a higher light extraction efficiency than the first and second embodiments can be obtained. Also, as in the first embodiment, variation in light intensity distribution and color imbalance do not occur depending on the direction. Also, reflection of an ambient image can be prevented.

There are two possible conditions for the random height difference: (1) the height difference can have all the values from 0 to the maximum height difference d_(m); and (2) the height difference can have any of three or more height difference values including 0 and the maximum height difference d_(m). As an example of the condition (2), consider that the four different height difference values 0, d_(m)/3, d_(m)×2/3, and d_(m) are possible. A mold for shape transfer which is configured to form such a surface structure over a sheet surface can be fabricated by two cycles of an exposure-etching step (1st cycle: exposure with mask pattern of boundary width w₁ and etching to the depth of d_(m)/3; 2nd cycle: exposure with mask pattern of boundary width w₂ and etching to the depth of d_(m)×2/3). Here, w₂=w₁ is the condition for maximizing the frequency of occurrence of discontinued boundary lines.

Now, consider a case where the seven different heights (height differences), 0, d_(m)/6, d_(m)×2/6, d_(m)×3/6, d_(m)×4/6, d_(m)×5/6, d_(m), are possible. A mold for shape transfer which is configured to form such a surface structure over a sheet surface can be fabricated by three cycles of an exposure-etching step (1st cycle: exposure with mask pattern boundary width w₁ and etching to the depth of d_(m)/6; 2nd cycle: exposure with mask pattern of boundary width w₂ and etching to the depth of d_(m)×2/6; 3rd cycle: exposure with mask pattern of boundary width w₃ and etching to the depth of d_(m)×3/6). Here, w₁=w₂=w₃ is the condition for maximizing the frequency of occurrence of discontinued boundary lines.

Fourth Embodiment

The fourth embodiment is described with reference to FIG. 24. Note that the fourth embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in the pattern of the surface structure, and the other elements are all the same as those of the first embodiment. The descriptions of the common elements are herein omitted.

FIG. 24 illustrates the process of determining the pattern of the surface structure in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 24( a) shows the surface of the transparent substrate 5 which is divided into boxes of a chessboard-like grid (square minute regions a), each box having width w₁. To respective ones of the boxes, white and black are randomly allocated such that each of the proportion of black boxes and the proportion of white boxes is 50%. In the shown example, w₁=1 μm (note that the description below is given with this value for the sake of visibility of the drawing, although the optimum value for w₁ is far smaller than this). Some of the minute regions α to which black is allocated are referred to as “minute regions α₁”, and the other minute regions α to which white is allocated are referred to as “minute regions α₂”.

FIG. 24( b) shows the surface of the transparent substrate 5 which is divided into boxes of a chessboard-like grid (square minute regions β), each box having width w₂ that is an integral multiple of w₁. To respective ones of the boxes, white and black are randomly allocated such that the proportion of black boxes is P2, the proportion of white boxes is 1−P₂, and P₂=0.5. In the shown example, w₂=2 μm. Some of the minute regions β to which black is allocated are referred to as “minute regions β₁”, and the other minute regions β to which white is allocated are referred to as “minute regions β₂”.

FIG. 24( c) shows a pattern generated by superimposing the patterns of FIG. 24( a) and FIG. 24( b) such that the boxes are in alignment between these patterns according to a rule that superimposition of a black region (α₁) and a black region (β₁) is to be replaced by a white box, superimposition of a white region (α₂) and a white region (β₂) is to be replaced by a white box, and superimposition of a white region (α₂) and a black region (β₁) and superimposition of a black region (α₁) and a white region (β₂) are to be replaced by black boxes. As a result, the pattern generation rule of FIG. 24( c) is the same as that of the pattern of FIG. 24( a). The pattern of the surface structure in which the black boxes correspond to raised portions and, relatively, the white boxes correspond to recessed portions is the same as that described in the first embodiment.

FIG. 24( d) shows the surface of the transparent substrate 5 which is divided into boxes of a chessboard-like grid (square minute regions α), each box having width w₁. To respective ones of the boxes, white and black are randomly allocated such that the proportion of black boxes is P₁ and the proportion of white boxes is 1−P₁. In the shown example, w₁=1 μm and P₁=0.1. As in FIG. 24( a), the black boxes are referred to as “minute regions α₁”, and the white boxes are referred to as “minute regions α₂”.

FIG. 24( e) shows a pattern generated by superimposing the patterns of FIG. 24( d) and FIG. 24( b) such that the boxes are in alignment between these patterns according to a rule that superimposition of a black region (α₁) and a black region (β₁) is to be replaced by a white box, superimposition of a white region (α₂) and a white region (β₂) is to be replaced by a white box, and superimposition of a white region (α₂) and a black region (β₁) and superimposition of a black region (α₁) and a white region (β₂) are to be replaced by black boxes. The pattern of FIG. 24( e) has similar features to those of the pattern of FIG. 24( c). For example, the area ratio between black and white is 1:1, and the minimum sizes of the black marks and the white marks are equal. However, the pattern of FIG. 24( e) is different from the pattern of FIG. 24( c) in that the proportion of the minimum size marks is smaller. The finally determined black-white ratio (the area ratio between recessed portions and raised portions) depends on the proportions P₁ and P₂. The proportion of the black marks (the proportion of the raised portions), P, is given as P=P₁+P₂−2P₁P₂.

In FIG. 23, the curves 27 b and 27B represent the characteristics of the light extraction efficiencies calculated for the first and second light extractions (η₁, η₂), which are plotted over the abscissa axis that represents the proportion of the raised portions, P, under the conditions that the protrusion height of the raised portions of the surface structure is d=0.70 μm, w₁=0.2 μm, w₂=1 μm, and P₁=0.1.

As seen from the curve 27 b of FIG. 23, in the first light extraction, the light extraction efficiency can be further improved by setting the proportion P, which determines the area ratio between the recessed portions and the raised portions, within a range centered at 0.6 and ranging from 0.4 to 0.8, notwithstanding the distribution of the recessed and raised portions has a different pattern from that of the first example. On the other hand, as seen from the curve 27B, in the second light extraction, the light extraction efficiency can be further improved by setting the proportion P within a range from 0.5 to 0.9 (note that the curves 27 b and 27B cannot be plotted in the range of 0.1 or less and in the range of 0.9 or more because P₁=0.1). Thus, the total light extraction efficiency, including the efficiencies in the first and second light extractions, can be improved by setting the proportion P, which is finally obtained from a combination of the proportions P₁ and P₂, within the range of 0.5 to 0.98 as in the first example. In FIG. 23, the curves 27 c and 27C represent the characteristics of the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions, respectively, under the conditions that w₁=0.1 μm and P₁=0.1. The curves 27 d and 27D represent the characteristics of the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions, respectively, under the conditions that w₁=0.1 μm and P₁=0.2. Since the efficiencies greatly deteriorate when w₁ is less than 0.2 μm, w₁ needs to be 0.2 μm or more. The upper limit for w₁ is preferably 1.5 μm or less in consideration of the viewing angle dependence as discussed in conjunction with the first example with reference to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15.

The fourth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that small changes are made in the formation conditions of the surface structure. The light extraction efficiency may be slightly inferior to that of the first embodiment under some conditions. However, the fourth embodiment can still achieve a light extraction efficiency which is much higher than that of the conventional light emitting device shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3( a). As in the first embodiment, the fourth embodiment has the following advantages: variation in light intensity distribution and color imbalance do not occur depending on the direction; the light extraction efficiency can be greatly improved; and reflection of an ambient image can be prevented. The fourth embodiment has moderate requirements for the shape of the surface structure as compared with the first embodiment, so that a large error margin can be secured, which will be a merit in terms of easy processing. For example, under the conditions of the first embodiment, the interval between adjacent recessed portions or the interval between adjacent raised portions is shorter, and therefore, the processing of a fine shape of the recessed or raised portions is relatively difficult. However, in the fourth embodiment, the proportion of the fine recessed or raised portions is small (see FIGS. 24( c) and 24(e)). Therefore, the interval between adjacent recessed portions or the interval between adjacent raised portions is effectively larger, so that a hurdle for the difficulty in processing is lowered. As a matter of course, application of the fourth embodiment to the second embodiment would achieve the same effects as those of the second embodiment.

Fifth Embodiment

The fifth embodiment is a combination of the fourth embodiment and the third embodiment. In the present embodiment, for the sake of easy recognition of allocation of regions, the respective regions are distinguished by color in the description below. In the fifth embodiment, firstly, the surface of the transparent substrate 5 is divided into boxes of a chessboard-like grid (square minute regions a) such that each box has the width w, and black and white are randomly allocated to respective ones of the boxes such that the proportion of black boxes is P₁ and the proportion of white boxes is 1−P₁. Regions to which white is allocated (minute regions α₂) are lowered by the depth of d₁ (>0) by means of, for example, etching. Regions to which black is allocated are referred to as “minute regions α₁”.

Then, the surface of the transparent substrate 5 is divided into boxes of a chessboard-like grid (square minute regions β) such that each box has the width w₂, and blue and red are randomly allocated to respective ones of the boxes such that the proportion of blue boxes is P₂ and the proportion of red boxes is 1−P₂. Regions to which red is allocated (minute regions β₂) are lowered by the depth of d₂ (>0) by means of, for example, etching. Regions to which blue is allocated are referred to as “minute regions β₁”. Note that the width w₂ is an integral multiple of the width w₁ (w₂=w₁ is the most preferred case). The two chessboard-like grids are superimposed with each other such that the boundary lines are in alignment between the grids.

By superimposition of the grids, relative to the surface of an area in which a white region and a red region are superimposed with each other (herein referred to as “reference plane”), superimposition of a black region and a blue region has a height of d₁+d₂, superimposition of a white region and a blue region has a height of d₂, and superimposition of a black region and a red region has a height of d₁. Therefore, the height differences can randomly have the four values from 0 to d₁+d₂ (0, d₁, d₂, d₁+d₂), so that the same effect as those of the third embodiment can be achieved.

Under the conditions of d₁=d_(m)×1/3 and d₂=d_(m)×2/3, the pattern of the width w₁, which has a finer structure and therefore has difficulty in processing, can have a decreased depth, which will be a merit in terms of easy processing. Under the conditions of d₁=d_(m)×1/3 and d₂=d_(m)×2/3, the proportion P₂ has a similar meaning to that of the proportion P₂ of the fourth embodiment which determines the area ratio between the recessed portions and the raised portions, i.e., the average level of the depth because it corresponds to the more deeply lowered side (in actuality, the proportion P₂ side relates to the average depth with a weight of 2, while the proportion P₁ side relates to the average depth with a weight of 1). On the other hand, the proportion P₁ relates to the proportion of the finer structures (width w₁) and therefore has a similar meaning to that of the proportion P₁ of the fourth embodiment.

In the above example, 2 sets of conditions of the exposure-etching step are combined. When 3 sets of conditions of the exposure-etching step are combined, the height can have a value randomly selected from 8 different values. In this case, the following steps are added to the above-described two etching steps. Specifically, the surface of the transparent substrate 5 is divided into boxes of a chessboard-like grid (square minute regions y) such that each box has the width w₃, and yellow and green are randomly allocated to respective ones of the boxes such that the proportion of green boxes is P₃ and the proportion of yellow boxes is 1−P₃. Regions to which yellow is allocated (minute regions γ₂) are lowered by the depth of d₃ (>0) by means of, for example, etching. Regions to which green is allocated are referred to as “minute regions γ₁”. Note that the width w₃ is an integral multiple of the width w₂ (w₃=w₂ is the most preferred case). The two chessboard-like grids are superimposed with each other such that the boundary lines are in alignment between the grids.

By superimposition of the grids, relative to the surface of an area in which a white region, a red region, and a yellow region are superimposed with one another (herein referred to as “reference plane”), superimposition of a black region, a blue region, and a green region has a height of d₁+d₂+d₃, superimposition of a white region, a blue region, and a green region has a height of d₂+d₃, superimposition of a black region, a blue region, and a yellow region has a height of d₁+d₂, superimposition of a black region, a red region, and a green region has a height of d₁+d₃, superimposition of a black region, a red region, and a yellow region has a height of d₁, superimposition of a white region, a blue region, and a yellow region has a height of d₂, and superimposition of a white region, a red region, and a green region has a height of d₃. Therefore, the height differences can randomly have the eight values from 0 to d₁+d₂+d₃ (0, d₁, d₂, d₃, d₁+d₂, d₂+d₃, d₃+d₁, d₁+d₂+d₃), so that the same effect as those of the third embodiment can be achieved.

Under the conditions of d₁=d_(m)×1/6, d₂=d_(m)×2/6, and d₃=d_(m)×3/6, the patterns of the widths w₁ and w₂, which have finer structures and therefore have difficulty in processing, can have decreased depths, which will be a merit in terms of easy processing. Under the conditions of d₁=d_(m)×1/6, d₂=d_(m)×2/6, and d₃=d_(m)×3/6, P₂ and P₃ have similar meanings to that of the proportion P₂ of the fourth embodiment which determines the area ratio between the recessed portions and the raised portions, i.e., the average level of the depth because the proportions P₂ and P₃ correspond to the more deeply lowered sides (in actuality, the proportion P₃ side relates to the average depth with a weight of 3, the proportion P₂ side relates to the average depth with a weight of 2, and the proportion P₁ side relates to the average depth with a weight of 1). On the other hand, the proportion P₁ relates to the proportion of the finer structures (width w₁) and therefore has a similar meaning to that of the proportion P₁ of the fourth embodiment.

Sixth Embodiment

The sixth embodiment is described with reference to FIG. 12. Note that the sixth embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in the pattern of the surface structure 13, and the other elements are all the same as those of the first embodiment. The descriptions of the common elements are herein omitted.

In the sixth embodiment, two adjacent minute regions δ₁, δ₂ in the surface structure of the first embodiment are formed by phase shifters. The phase shifters may be formed by, for example, a multilayer film which includes layers of different refractive indices. Specifically, the phase of light transmitted through the multilayer film is adjusted by means of multiple reflection caused by the multilayer film. By changing the configuration of the multilayer film (the film thickness and the number of layers), regions of 180° and regions of 0° can be randomly formed. Also, the same effects can be obtained by using polarizers to change the polarization of light transmitted through the two types of regions. Here, the polarizers used herein are configured such that the polarization of transmitted light corresponding to the 180° regions is P-polarization or right-handed circular polarization, and the polarization of transmitted light corresponding to the 0° regions is S-polarization or left-handed circular polarization. These polarizers can be realized by ½-wave plates whose directions are different by 90°. When using the uneven structure of recessed portions and raised portions which are formed at the interface between media of different refractive indices as in the first example, the phase of transmitted light is varying between the recessed portions and the raised portions, and thus, such an uneven structure can also be classified as one form of the phase shifter.

The incidence angle dependence of the transmittance t and the light extraction efficiency of the surface structure 13 in the present embodiment have already been illustrated in FIG. 9 and FIG. 19( b) (curves 5 d and 5D). The light extraction efficiency in the first light extraction can exceed the light extraction efficiency which would be achieved when w is in the range of 0.4 μm to 1 μm and the surface is a specular surface. FIG. 19( b) also shows the results obtained when the phase difference is 90°. The light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions are represented by the curves 5 d′ and 5D′. The both light extraction efficiencies are inferior to those for the phase difference of 180° (curves 5 d and 5D). Thus, it is understood that the optimum value for the phase difference is 180°.

In this way, the surface structure 13 of the sixth embodiment is formed by phase shifters, whereby a higher light extraction efficiency than that of the conventional example can be achieved. Also, as in the first embodiment, variation in light intensity distribution and color imbalance do not occur depending on the direction, and reflection of an ambient image can be prevented.

Seventh Embodiment

The seventh embodiment is described with reference to FIG. 25. Note that the seventh embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in the pattern of the surface structure, and the other elements are all the same as those of the first embodiment. The descriptions of the common elements are herein omitted.

FIG. 25( a) shows a pattern diagram of a first surface structure 23 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 25( a), the surface structure 23 is obtained by dividing the surface of the transparent substrate 5 into right triangles (minute regions 5) such that each side of the triangle has a length w, and randomly allocating raised portions (which are denoted by “23 a” in the drawing (minute regions δ₁), dotted triangles) or recessed portions (which are denoted by “23 b” in the drawing (minute regions δ₂), white triangles) to respective ones of the minute regions δ such that the proportion of the raised portions or recessed portions is 50%. Here, w is 2.25 μm or less.

FIG. 25( b) shows a pattern diagram of a second surface structure 33 according to the present embodiment. This is obtained by dividing the surface of the transparent substrate 5 into right hexagons (minute regions 5) such that each side of the hexagon has a length w, and randomly allocating raised portions (which are denoted by “33 a” in the drawing (minute regions δ₁), dotted hexagons) or recessed portions (which are denoted by “33 b” in the drawing (minute regions δ₂), white hexagons) to respective ones of the minute regions δ such that the proportion of the raised portions or recessed portions is 50%. Here, w is 0.93 μm or less.

Generally speaking, the requirement for the size of the minute regions is that the largest one of the inscribed circles of the minute regions has a diameter of from 0.2 μm to 1.5 μm.

The seventh embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in the shape of the patterns of the surface structures 23 and 33. The seventh embodiment is however based on the same principles as those of the first embodiment and produces the same effects as those of the first embodiment. The shape of the minute regions is not limited to a right triangle or a right hexagon but may be any polygon so long as the surface can be divided into geometrically congruent polygonal regions without leaving any gap therebetween.

Note that, in actually manufactured products according to the first to seventh embodiments, the surface structures 13, 23, 33 may not strictly have a right square, right triangular, or right hexagonal shape. For example, a vertex of one polygonal minute region may be rounded, and a vertex of a minute region adjacent to the vertex-rounded region may be accordingly deformed. However, even in such a case, as a matter of course, the characteristics do not degrade, and the same effects can be achieved. The variations of the second to sixth embodiments to which the seventh embodiment is applied can achieve the same effects as those of the second to sixth embodiments.

Eighth Embodiment

The eighth embodiment is now described. Note that the eighth embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in the surface structure, and the other elements are all the same as those of the first embodiment. The descriptions of the common elements are herein omitted.

FIG. 26( a) is a cross-sectional view of a light emitting device of the present embodiment. FIG. 26( b) is a top view of the light emitting device of the present embodiment. The light emitting device of the present embodiment includes a substrate 101, an electrode 102, a light emitting layer 103, a transparent electrode 104, a transparent substrate 105, and a surface structure 13 provided on the transparent substrate 105. The transparent substrate 105 and the surface structure 13 constitute a light extraction sheet of the present embodiment.

In the present embodiment, tiny elements A which have effective refractive index n_(a) and tiny elements B which have effective refractive index n_(b) are provided over the transparent substrate 105 which has effective refractive index n_(b) without leaving any gap therebetween. The tiny elements A and the tiny elements B have thickness d and width w at the top surface. As shown in FIG. 26( b), the tiny elements A and the tiny elements B are randomly arranged over the transparent substrate 105. In FIG. 26, both the tiny elements A and the tiny elements B are cubic. However, the tiny elements A and the tiny elements B may have any shape so long as the tiny elements A, B can be arranged over the surface of the transparent substrate 105 without leaving any gap. For example, the tiny elements A, B may have the shape of a cuboid or a polyhedral prism. The tiny elements A and the tiny elements B may have different shapes.

The structure of the present embodiment is realized by modifying the surface structure of the first embodiment which has minute recessed and raised portions such that the raised portions are formed by the tiny elements B and the recessed portions are filled with the tiny elements A. That is, the tiny elements A of the present embodiment correspond to the air or medium in the recessed portion of the first embodiment. The tiny elements B of the present embodiment correspond to the raised portions of the transparent substrate surface of the first embodiment. Therefore, if it is assumed that the refractive index n_(o) of the air (or medium) of the first embodiment is equal to the refractive index n_(a) of the tiny elements A and that the refractive index n_(b) of the transparent substrate is equal to the refractive index n_(b) of the tiny elements B, the analysis results which have been described in the first embodiment are also applicable to the present embodiment. Specifically, the tiny elements A and the tiny elements B, which are shaped such that the largest one of the inscribed circles has a diameter of from 0.2 μm to 1.5 μm, are randomly arranged over the surface of the transparent substrate such that the tiny elements A constitute 40% to 98% of the total tiny elements. Thus, as previously described in detail in the first embodiment, visible light can be extracted from one of the surfaces to the other surface even when the critical angle is exceeded. Where the tiny elements A have thickness d and effective refractive index n_(a), the tiny elements B have thickness d and effective refractive index n_(b), and λ is the wavelength of light emitted by an adjacently-provided light emitting body, d is set such that λ/6(n_(b)−n_(a))<d<λ/(n_(b)−n_(a)) holds, whereby the light extraction efficiency can be greatly improved.

In the present embodiment, the surface structure can have a flat surface. Therefore, adhesion of dust or dirt onto the surface can be reduced, and deterioration of the light extraction efficiency can be prevented, as compared with the uneven surface shape such as described in the first embodiment.

Next, as an example of the tiny elements A and the tiny elements B that have been described above, realizing the tiny elements A and the tiny elements B by nanoparticles is described.

FIG. 27( a) is a cross-sectional view of a light emitting device. FIG. 27( b) is a cross-sectional view taken along plane A of FIG. 27( a). As shown in FIG. 27( a), hollow nanoparticles a and non-hollow nanoparticles (solid nanoparticles) b are provided over the transparent substrate 105. The hollow nanoparticles a and the solid nanoparticles b have equal outside diameters d. Hereinafter, these nanoparticles are referred to as “hollow nanoparticles a” and “solid nanoparticles b”.

The hollow nanoparticle a includes a hollow portion 307 and an outer shell 308 that surrounds the hollow portion 307. The hollow portion 307 is a cavity. The hollow portion 307 may be filled with a gas, such as air or nitrogen. Alternatively, the hollow portion 307 may be a vacuum.

On the other hand, the solid nanoparticle b has a filled structure. The outside diameter of the hollow nanoparticles a and the solid nanoparticles b is d. The diameter of the hollow portion 307, i.e., the inside diameter of the outer shell 308 is d′. The hollow nanoparticles a and the solid nanoparticles b may be realized by, for example, hollow silica particles and silica particles, respectively. Hollow silica particles and silica particles are commercially available in a variety of exterior sizes ranging from 0.2 μm to 1.5 μm. Also, hollow silica particles which have various sizes of hollow portions are available. Among others, hollow polymer particles which are manufactured using styrene, cross-linked styrene, denatured styrene-butadiene, or the like, and solid nanoparticles, such as PMMA particles, may be used as the hollow nanoparticles and the solid nanoparticles.

The refractive index of an outer shell 309 of the hollow nanoparticle a and the refractive index of the solid nanoparticles b are generally equal to the refractive index of the transparent substrate 305.

These nanoparticles are buried in a binder 108 whose refractive index is generally equal to that of the transparent substrate 105 and fixed onto the transparent substrate 105. The outer shell 309 is provided such that its top end is exposed to the air layer 106. Thus, the tiny element A includes an external structure which is constituted of the outer shell 309 of the hollow nanoparticle a and the binder 308 and an internal structure which is constituted of the hollow portion 307 of the hollow nanoparticle a. In short, the tiny element A has a two-part structure in which the two parts have different refractive indices.

A cubic region which includes a hollow nanoparticle a can be treated as a region which has an effectively-uniform refractive index. Specifically, a region 310 a which includes a hollow nanoparticle a, indicated by broken lines, can be recognized as a tiny element A which has effective refractive index n_(a). A region 310 b which includes a solid nanoparticle b, indicated by broken lines, can be recognized as a tiny element B which has effective refractive index n_(b). Where the refractive index of the binder 308 is n_(x) and the refractive index of the hollow portion 307 is n₀, the effective refractive indices n_(a), n_(b) are expressed by Formula 7 and Formula 8 shown below. Specifically, the effective refractive index of the tiny element A is determined depending on the refractive indices of the external structure that is constituted of the outer shell 309 of the hollow nanoparticle a and the binder 308 and the internal structure that is constituted of the hollow portion 307 and depending on the volume ratio of the external structure and the internal structure.

$\begin{matrix} {n_{a} = {{\frac{1 - {\frac{4}{3}{\pi \left( \frac{d^{\prime}}{2} \right)}^{3}}}{d^{3}}n_{x}} + {\frac{\frac{4}{3}{\pi \left( \frac{d^{\prime}}{2} \right)}^{3}}{d^{3}}n_{0}}}} & \left( {{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 7} \right) \\ {n_{b} = n_{x}} & \left( {{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 8} \right) \end{matrix}$

FIG. 28 shows the analysis results of the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance t in a sheet which has the structure shown in FIG. 27. The analysis results of FIG. 28 were obtained for the cases where (d−d′)/2 was 0.1 μm, and the values of d were 0.3 μm, 0.4 μm, 0.6 μm, 0.8 μm, 1.0 μm, 2.0 μm, and 4.0 μm. Here, the refractive index of the solid nanoparticle b and the outer shell 309 of the hollow nanoparticle a and the refractive index of the binder 308 were n_(x)=1.457, the refractive index of the hollow portion 307 of the hollow nanoparticle a was n₀=1.0, and the wavelength was 635 nm. It is confirmed from FIG. 28 that, even with an angle equal to or greater than the critical angle of 43.3°, a large light extraction efficiency was achieved so that a boundary diffraction effect was obtained.

FIG. 29 shows the light extraction efficiency r for the cases of d=0.3 μm, 0.4 μm, 0.6 μm, 0.8 μm, 1.0 μm, 2.0 μm, and 4.0 μm. It is seen that the light extraction efficiency in the first light extraction has the maximum value of 0.32 near d=0.6 to 2.0 μm, which is generally equivalent to the light extraction efficiency of the boundary diffraction structure which has been described in the first embodiment. The light extraction efficiency in the second light extraction decreases at a position smaller than d=0.3 μm. It is seen that, when (d−d′)/2 is 0.1 μm, d needs to be at least 0.3 μm or greater.

FIG. 30 shows the analysis results of the light extraction efficiency in a sheet which has the structure shown in FIG. 27 for the cases where the diameter ratio is (d−d′)/d=0.1, 0.3, and 0.5, and d=0.2 μm, 0.3 μm, 0.4 μm, 0.6 μm, 0.8 μm, 1.0 μm, 2.0 μm, and 4.0 μm. As seen from FIG. 30, as the diameter ratio increases, the light extraction efficiency in the first light extraction decreases. In particular, when the diameter ratio is 0.5 and d<0.6 μm, the light extraction efficiency in the first light extraction is generally approximate to the value of the specular surface. Therefore, the upper limit of the diameter ratio can be determined to be 0.5. From the above results, the ratio of the volume of the hollow portion relative to the total volume of the tiny element A needs to be not less than 1/16. In the case where (d−d′)/d=0.1 or 0.3, it is seen that the light extraction efficiency was improved even when d=0.2 μm. It is estimated from this knowledge that the value of d needs to be at least 0.2 μm or greater.

In the present embodiment, the arrangement of the tiny elements A and the tiny elements B over the plane is a chessboard-like grid such as shown in FIG. 27( b). However, they may be in a random arrangement or may be arranged to form a close-packed structure.

To ensure randomness, it is preferred that the hollow nanoparticles a and the solid nanoparticles b are mixed together and dispersed in a liquid phase, and the resultant dispersion is applied over the transparent substrate 105 and then dried, so that the hollow nanoparticles and the solid nanoparticles are arranged over the transparent substrate 105. Since the hollow nanoparticles a and the solid nanoparticles b are randomly dispersed in the liquid phase, the arrangement of the nanoparticles after the application can also be random.

The method of randomly arranging the hollow nanoparticles and the solid nanoparticles may be as described below. Firstly, hollow nanoparticles and solid nanoparticles which have a certain polarity are mixed together in a predetermined proportion to prepare a mixture. Then, the surface of the transparent substrate 105 is treated so as to have a polarity that is opposite to the polarity of the hollow nanoparticles and the solid nanoparticles. Then, the previously-described mixture is applied over the transparent substrate 105, whereby a random arrangement is readily realized.

The particles randomly arranged according to the above-described procedure are fixed by a binder whose refractive index is substantially equal to that of the transparent substrate (for example, acrylic resin based binder material FA-125M in the case where the refractive index of the transparent substrate is 1.457), whereby a light extraction sheet can be fabricated.

Although in the present embodiment hollow and solid spherical objects are arranged, a structure which provides different effective refractive indices can secure the phase difference of transmitted light rays, so that the boundary diffraction effect can be obtained. For example, solid nanoparticles which have the same shape and which have different refractive indices may be mixed together and arranged. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 31( a) and 31(b), hollow nanoparticles whose hollow sections (non-hatched portions in the diagrams) have different diameters d′ may be mixed together. Still alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 32( a) and 32(b), the nanoparticles may have the shape of a cube or a polyhedron. Among others, the tiny elements A, B which have different effective refractive indices may be manufactured by irradiating the substrate surface with laser light such that bubbles are generated near the surface or by altering the crystal structure near the surface such that the refractive index is changed.

Other Embodiments

The above-described embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the first to seventh embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the raised portion of the surface structure perpendicular to the surface is not limited to a rectangle but may be a trapezoid or a circular cone. The lateral surface of the raised portion may be defined by a curved line.

In the first to eighth embodiments, when the transparent substrate 5 has a large thickness, the point of light emission occurs at more distant positions from the light radiation point S as the number of times of light extraction increases. If this applies to a device in which the structure is divided for respective ones of the pixels of about 300 μm, such as an EL element for display applications, light leaks into an adjacent pixel so that the image quality degrades. One possible solution to this problem is the structure shown in FIG. 33( a) in which the transparent substrate 5 with the surface structure 13 has a small thickness of about several micrometers, and the transparent substrate 5 is covered with a protection substrate 14 of about 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm with an intervening air layer. The front surface 14 a and the rear surface 14 b of the protection substrate need an AR (antireflection) coat, although total reflection does not occur on these surfaces. In this case, over the surface structure 13, the air layer may be replaced by a transparent material of a low refractive index, such as an aerogel or the like. This configuration provides an integral structure and therefore improves the device stability.

In the first to eighth embodiments, only one surface has the surface structure 13. However, like structures may be formed on the opposite surfaces of the transparent substrate 5. A common diffraction grating 13′ may be provided between the surface structure 13 and the light radiation point S. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 33( b), the transparent substrate 5 has a film-like shape, with the surface structure 13 on the front surface and the diffraction grating 13′ or a surface structure 13″ of a modified configuration on the rear surface, and is adhered to the light emitting body side via an adhesive layer 21. When the refractive index of the transparent substrate 5 is small and the difference in refractive index between the transparent substrate 5 and the light emitting layer 3 is 0.1 or more, the material of the adhesive layer 21 may be selected from materials of refractive indices smaller than that of the light emitting layer 3 by 0.1 or more, so that total reflection scarcely occurs at the interface between the adhesive layer 21 and the light emitting layer 3. Total reflection which would occur at the refracting surface between the adhesive layer 21 and the transparent substrate 5 and total reflection which would occur at the refracting surface between the transparent substrate 5 and the air 6 can be avoided by the surface structure 13″ (or diffraction grating 13′) and the surface structure 13, respectively. Note that, in the diffraction grating 13′ and the surface structure 13″, the preferred depth of the recessed portions or the preferred height of the raised portions are determined to meet a condition that light, transmitted through the recessed portions and light transmitted through the raised portions have a phase difference of π. However, the depth of the recessed portions and the height of the raised portions may be smaller than those that meet the above condition.

FIG. 34 is a pattern diagram showing a surface structure for comparison, which has a checker pattern. In FIG. 34, in the surface structure, the surface of the transparent substrate 5 is divided into squares, each side having length w, such that gray squares 13 a and white squares 13 b form a checker pattern. The gray squares correspond to the raised portions, and relatively, the white squares correspond to the recessed portions.

FIG. 35 illustrates the incidence angle dependence of the transmittance t of the surface structure shown in FIG. 34, in which the height difference of the raised or recessed portions is d=0.70 μm, under the same conditions as those of FIG. 19( a). The curves show how much of a light beam whose light amount is 1 in the transparent substrate 5 and which is incident on the refracting surface at the incidence angle θ (the angle from the normal to the refracting surface) for the first time is emitted into the air 6, with the parameter of width w (w=0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 (μm)). Comparing FIG. 35 with FIG. 16( a) which shows the characteristics of the random pattern, it can be seen that there are small undulations in the curves, except for the curves for w=0.1 μm and 0.2 μm (in the range of a so-called nanostructure which does not cause diffraction of light). This is because diffracted light appears and disappears on the air layer side due to diffraction by the checker pattern. Therefore, this indicates that there is a light intensity distribution which varies depending on the direction. This is a problem inherent to periodic patterns.

FIG. 19( b) also shows the light extraction efficiencies of this checker-pattern surface structure and the matrix-lattice surface structure shown in FIG. 4( b) (in which the square areas of width w correspond to the recessed portions) in the first and second light extractions (d=0.70 μm, curves 5 e, 5 f, 5E, and 5F). The light extraction efficiency in the second light extraction for the matrix-lattice pattern increases as in the phenomenon described in connection with FIG. 23. This is because the proportion of the raised portions is P=0.75 in the matrix-lattice pattern. Both the checker pattern and the matrix-lattice pattern exhibit the characteristics with undulations which occur depending on the variation of w as compared with the characteristics of the random pattern. This problem is also inherent to periodic patterns. This relates to a light intensity distribution which varies depending on the direction.

FIGS. 36( a) and 36(b) also shows the analysis results of the viewing angle dependence of light extracted in the first light extraction, which was emitted from the checker-pattern surface structure. Here, the height difference is d=0.7 μm, and the boundary width is w=0.5 μm. FIG. 36( a) is under the condition of λ=0.450 μm. FIG. 36( b) is under the condition of λ=0.635 μm. It can be seen that both solid lines (directions of longitudes 0° and 90°) and dotted lines (directions of longitudes 45° and 135°) exhibit a large variation relative to the declination, and their separation from each other is large. Also, the shape of the lines largely changes depending on the wavelength. Variation in the light intensity distribution and color imbalance which occur depending on the direction are detrimental disadvantages for periodic patters as in the light emitting device described in Patent Document 1. These disadvantages are all overcome by every one of the first to eight embodiments.

The boundary diffraction effect occurs when portions of light in which the phase is discontinuous are separated by a predetermined distance or more. To maximize this effect, it is necessary to locally maximize the proportion of the phase-discontinuous portions within a restricted area. When the refracting surface is divided into an infinite number of minute regions such that the phase is discontinuous at the boundary between the minute regions, the aforementioned proportion is locally maximized under the following two conditions. The first one is that the areas of the minute regions are as equal as possible. The second one is that there is a phase difference between adjacent minute regions. Specifically, if one of the minute regions is larger than the others, the number of phase-discontinuous boundaries is increased by dividing this large minute region. If one of the minute regions is smaller than the others, this means that another one of them is larger than the others, and the number of phase-discontinuous boundaries is increased by dividing this large minute region. According to an extension of this logic, the proportion of the boundaries between the minute regions can be locally maximized under the conditions that the areas of the minute regions are as equal as possible, and that each of the areas of the minute regions is at least from 0.5 times to 1.5 times a predetermined reference area (the diameter of the largest one of the inscribed circles of the minute regions is from 0.7 times to 1.3 times a predetermined reference diameter). The first to eighth embodiments meet these conditions. Even when the division into the minute regions is locally maximized, the achieved effect decreases if adjacent minute regions have equal phases. Therefore, a phase difference is required between adjacent minute regions, i.e., random phase allocation is required. The fourth and fifth embodiments meet this condition. In other words, the light emitting devices of the above embodiments do not realize improvements in the extraction efficiency by the antireflection effect of the light emitting device such as described in Patent Document 2, but by the effect of local maximization of the boundary diffraction effect.

Note that the surface shapes in the first to seventh embodiments are different from the surface state of frosted glass, surface roughening, or the like, or the surface state of a light emitting device described in Patent Document 2. In the first, fourth and seventh embodiments, the surface is divided into square boxes (or polygonal boxes) of a predetermined grid, each box having width w, and raised portions and recessed portions are allocated to the respective boxes in the ratio of 1:1. This pattern has a specific scale, width w, and a specific shape of the minute regions, and the ratio of the total area of the raised portions to the total area of the recessed portions is 1:1. By contrast, the surface state of frosted glass, surface roughening, or the like, does not have a specific width w, and the shape of the minute regions is indefinite. The ratio of the total area of the raised portions to the total area of the recessed portions is not 1:1. In the second embodiment, the ratio of raised portions to recessed portions is shifted from 50%, and accordingly, the ratio of the total area of the raised portions to the total area of the recessed portions is shifted from 1:1. However, there is still a specific width w, and the ratio between the total area of the recessed portions and the total area of the raised portions has a predetermined value. This is clearly distinguishable from perfectly random patterns. The third and fifth embodiments also have a specific width w, and the respective ones of the square boxes (or polygonal boxes) defined by width w have different heights. Thus, the surface shapes of the above embodiments do not have a perfectly random pattern but a random pattern which is determined under a predetermined rule.

The difference of the random patterns of the present embodiments from a perfectly random pattern is further discussed. As shown in FIG. 37( a), eight cards 17 having a width w are randomly arranged on a table 16 having a width 4 w. The total area of the eight cards 17 is ½ of the area of the table 16. Here, it is assumed that none of the cards 17 should extend out of the table 16. FIG. 37( b) shows an arrangement in which some of the cards 17 are overlapping. FIG. 37( c) shows an arrangement in which none of the cards 17 are overlapping. In FIG. 37( b), the total area of the cards is smaller than ½ of the table area by the area of overlapping portions of the cards 17. As previously illustrated by the curves 27 a and 27A of FIG. 23, the light extraction efficiency decreases as the area ratio deviates from a predetermined ratio. In FIG. 37( c), there is a small gap j between the cards, which is smaller than w, although the area ratio is maintained at ½. This is also the case with FIG. 37( b). When the small gap j occurs and the frequency of its occurrence increases, the gap j can be regarded as a new boundary width. As seen from FIG. 22, the light extraction efficiency greatly decreases under the condition of j<0.2 μm. As seen from FIG. 23, as the proportion P₁ of the recessed or raised portions of the minute uneven structure increases (the proportion P₁ of the structure of w₁<0.1 μm increases, such as 0.0, 0.1, and 0.2, in the order of the curves 27 a, 27 c, and 27 d), both the light extraction efficiencies in the first and second light extractions decrease, although the total proportion of the raised portions is equal. Thus, a perfectly random pattern alone cannot constitute a condition for maximizing the light extraction efficiency.

The principle of random pattern generation employed in the above embodiments is different from that of FIG. 37. In the above embodiments, the area ratio is maintained at a predetermined ratio, so that a scale smaller than the width w, such as the minute gap j, does not occur. Thus, it can be said that the surface shapes of the above embodiments do not have a perfectly random pattern, but a random pattern which is determined under a predetermined rule for locally maximizing the light extraction efficiency.

The phenomenon caused by the surface shapes of the first to eighth embodiments is a form of diffraction phenomenon. As shown in FIG. 5, in the diffraction phenomenon, a light ray resulting from virtual refraction relative to a flat reference plane which is equivalent to the average of the surface shape is referred to as a zeroth order diffraction component (which does not occur in the case of total reflection), and higher-order diffraction components occur in directions shifted from the zeroth order diffraction component which is used as a reference of the direction. In a random surface shape such as disclosed in the present application, the diffraction components other than the zeroth order occur in random propagation directions. By contrast, frosted glass and surface roughening cause a form of refraction phenomenon, which is different from the diffraction phenomenon. Across an uneven refracting surface, the direction of the normal to the refracting surface randomly varies, and accordingly, the direction of refraction also randomly varies. For example, when the surface shape of one of the first to seventh embodiments is formed in one surface of a parallel flat plate, the contour of an image of an object on the opposite side of the plate can be clearly seen through the plate. This is because the light diffracted by the surface shape always includes a zeroth order diffraction component, and this component serves to maintain the contour of the image of the object on the opposite side of the plate. By contrast, in the case of frosted glass or surface roughening, the light does not include a component which is equivalent to the zeroth order diffraction component, so that the contour of the image of the object on the opposite side appears blurred when seen through the plate. Patent Document 2 only describes that light is “obediently emitted into the air” by means of projections formed in the surface but fails to mention the term “diffraction.” The word “obediently” can be interpreted as “being obedient to Snell's law (law of refraction).” In this context, it is interpreted as being in the same category as frosted glass and surface roughening. Thus, Patent Document 2 can be said to be different from the present invention.

The technical feature disclosed in Patent Document 2 is to perfectly randomly arrange a plurality of transparent projections over a transparent insulative substrate. Patent Document 2 fails to describe or suggest the feature of the present invention that recessed and raised portions are treated as one or more groups of minute regions having the same shape and the ratio between the raised portions and the recessed portions is set to a specific value. For example, in the first embodiment, a structure in which the recessed portions and the raised portions are exchanged or a structure in which the height and depth of the respective minute regions are exchanged is substantially the same as the original structure. This is not the case with the light emitting device of Patent Document 2. The present inventors are the first to find that the features of the illustrative embodiments achieve excellent light extraction effects, whereas Patent Document 2 fails to describe such excellent effects as obtained in the above embodiments. In the light emitting device described in Patent Document 2, projections having a width of 0.4 μm to 20 μm are in a perfectly random arrangement at a density of 5000 to 10⁶ projections per unit area (/mm²). Part of the light emitting devices of the above embodiments fall within the extent of the light emitting device of Patent Document 2 in terms of the formal aspects. However, the relationship between the projections and the other portions and the relationship of the proportion of the projections, as well as the effects which cannot achieved without such relationships, are no described or suggested in Patent Document 2. Therefore, the above embodiments are not substantially within the scope of the technologies disclosed in Patent Document 2. The subject matter disclosed in Patent Document 2 and the invention of the present application are totally different.

In the first to sixth embodiments, the phase of light is shifted by an uneven shape consisting of recessed and raised portions. However, the shift of the phase can be realized by using any other means than the uneven shape. For example, the shift of the phase can be realized by determining the thickness and the refractive index conditions of the multilayer film so as to be different between the regions corresponding to the recessed portions and the regions corresponding to the raised portions. In this case also, as a matter of course, the same effects as those of the above embodiments can be achieved. Parts of the first to eighth embodiments may be combined into a new example instead of independently enabling respective one of these embodiments. Although the first to eighth embodiments have been described with the examples of the organic electroluminescence element, the embodiments are applicable to any element which is capable of emitting light in a medium whose refractive index is greater than 1. For example, the present embodiments are applicable to an LED, a light guide plate, and the like. The medium into which the light emitting device emits light is not limited to the air. The surface structures of the above embodiments are applicable to a transparent substrate whose refractive index is greater than that of a medium with which the transparent substrate is in contact, specifically greater than that of the medium by 0.1 or more.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, a light extraction sheet and a light emitting device of the present invention greatly improve the light extraction efficiency and provide excellent viewing angle characteristics of emitted light, and is therefore useful for displays, light sources, etc.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   -   1 substrate     -   2 electrode     -   3 light emitting layer     -   4 transparent electrode     -   5 transparent substrate     -   6 air     -   307 hollow portion     -   308 binder     -   309 outer shell     -   310 a tiny element A of effective refractive index n_(a)     -   310 b tiny element B of effective refractive index n_(b)     -   13 surface structure     -   S light radiation point 

1. A transparent sheet for use with a light emitting body with one of surfaces of the transparent sheet being adjacent to the light emitting body, wherein the other surface of the sheet is divided into a plurality of minute regions δ, a largest inscribed circle of the minute regions δ having a diameter from 0.2 μm to 1.5 μm, each of the minute regions δ being adjoined by and surrounded by two or more other ones of the plurality of minute regions δ, the plurality of minute regions δ include a plurality of minute regions δ_(b) which are randomly selected from the plurality of minute regions δ so as to constitute 40% to 98% of the minute regions δ and a plurality of minute regions δ_(a) which constitute the remaining portion of the minute regions δ, the minute regions δ_(a) are provided with a first tiny element which has thickness d and effective refractive index n_(a), and the minute regions δ_(b) are provided with a second tiny element which has thickness d and effective refractive index n_(b), n_(b) being greater than n_(a).
 2. The sheet of claim 1, wherein a wavelength λ of light emitted by the light emitting body, the thickness d, and the effective refractive indices n_(a) and n_(b) satisfy the following relationship: λ/6(n _(b) −n _(a))<d<λ/(n _(b) −n _(a)).
 3. The sheet of claim 2, wherein the first tiny element has an internal structure and an external structure that surrounds the internal structure, the internal structure and the external structure having different refractive indices, and the effective refractive index n_(a) of the first tiny element depends on the refractive indices of the internal structure and the external structure and a volume ratio of the internal structure and the external structure.
 4. The sheet of claim 3, wherein the internal structure is a cavity.
 5. The sheet of claim 4, wherein the first tiny element includes a hollow particle which has a hollow portion that is the internal structure and an outer shell that is the external structure and a binder provided so as to surround the hollow particle, the binder having a refractive index which is generally equal to a refractive index of the outer shell, and the second tiny element includes a solid particle and a binder provided so as to surround the solid particle, the binder having a refractive index which is generally equal to a refractive index of the solid particle.
 6. A light emitting device, comprising a light emitting body and a transparent protection layer provided on a light emitting surface of the light emitting body, wherein the transparent protection layer has a surface which adjoins the light emitting surface and a surface which is opposite to the adjoining surface, the opposite surface including a plurality of minute regions δ, a largest inscribed circle of the minute regions δ having a diameter from 0.2 μm to 1.5 μm, each of the minute regions δ being adjoined by and surrounded by two or more other ones of the plurality of minute regions δ, the plurality of minute regions δ include a plurality of minute regions δ_(b) which are randomly selected from the plurality of minute regions δ so as to constitute 40% to 98% of the minute regions δ and a plurality of minute regions δ_(a) which constitute the remaining portion of the minute regions δ, the minute regions δ_(a) are provided with a first tiny element which has thickness d and effective refractive index n_(a), and the minute regions δ_(b) are provided with a second tiny element which has thickness d and effective refractive index n_(b), n_(b) being greater than n_(a).
 7. The light emitting device of claim 6, wherein a center wavelength λ of an emission spectrum emitted by the light emitting body, the thickness d, the effective refractive indices n_(a) and n_(b) satisfy the following relationship: λ/6(n _(b) −n _(a))<d<λ/(n _(b) −n _(a)).
 8. The light emitting device of claim 5, wherein the first tiny element has an internal structure and an external structure that surrounds the internal structure, the internal structure and the external structure having different refractive indices, and the effective refractive index n_(a) of the first tiny element depends on the refractive indices of the internal structure and the external structure and a volume ratio of the internal structure and the external structure.
 9. The light emitting device of claim 6, wherein the internal structure is a cavity.
 10. The light emitting device of claim 6, wherein the first tiny element includes a hollow particle which has a hollow portion that is the internal structure and an outer shell that is the external structure and a binder provided so as to surround the hollow particle, the binder having a refractive index which is generally equal to a refractive index of the outer shell, and the second tiny element includes a solid particle and a binder provided so as to surround the solid particle, the binder having a refractive index which is generally equal to a refractive index of the solid particle. 